![\"Matteo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/arnaldi-cagliarich-2026-trophy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Challenger
\n Arnaldi sparks revival with ‘unreal’ Cagliari Challenger triumph<\/p>\n
Tabilo wins Aix-en-Provence, Wong becomes first Challenger champion from Hong Kong<\/p>\n
May 04, 2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kathryn Riley\/ATP Challenger<\/p>\n
Matteo Arnaldi wins the Sardegna Open, an ATP Challenger 175 event in Cagliari, Italy.
\n By ATP Staff<\/p>\n
Matteo Arnaldi<\/a>\u2019s triumph at the Sardegna Open<\/a> on Sunday is one of the standout stories from the 2026 ATP Challenger season.<\/p>\n \nWeeks after sharing that he had endured \u201cthe toughest six months\u201d of his career<\/a>, citing a persistent right foot injury, the 25-year-old flipped the script in memorable fashion, claiming his biggest career title and first triumph at any level since June 2023.<\/p>\n \nThe Italian downed former World No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz<\/a> 6-4, 6-4 in the clay-court final and will now head to his home ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Rome.<\/p>\n \n\u201cIt feels amazing, with how I started [the season], how the year was going, the problems I\u2019ve had this year, it\u2019s unreal to be here with the title,\u201d Arnaldi told commentator Rob Werner. \u201cPlaying such a good player in the final and being able to come through, I\u2019m super happy.\u201d<\/p>\n \nArnaldi, who reached a career-high No. 29 in 2024, arrived in Cagliari after a qualifying loss at the Mutua Madrid Open<\/a>, where he was defending quarter-final points. Entering the Challenger 175 event on a four-match skid with a 2-8 season record across all levels, Arnaldi is proud of the level he produced this week.<\/p>\n \n\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve realised yet what I did because I haven\u2019t played that much. I literally started to play tennis again fully two weeks ago,\u201d Arnaldi said. \u201cSo I wasn\u2019t even expecting this. It\u2019s so special. I\u2019m so proud of it.<\/p>\n \n\u201cI didn\u2019t even know if I was going to come or not. After Madrid, I was debating and I wasn\u2019t feeling okay. I wasn\u2019t in the best mood. We just went home, tried to practise a few days and see how it would feel. It responded pretty well, so we were like, \u2018Let\u2019s try and go play as many matches as we can\u2019. I\u2019m really happy that I was able to get the win, first title in three years.\u201d<\/p>\n IL CAMPIONE \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\udfc6@mattearnalds<\/a> claims the biggest title of his career at the Sardegna Open<\/a>!#ATPChallenger<\/a> | @federtennis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hBVTxcEpe8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) May 3, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \nThe Sanremo native saved a match point in the quarter-finals against Nuno Borges<\/a>, keeping his tournament alive with a narrow 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(3) victory after three hours. Even after playing three deciding-set matches in Cagliari, Arnaldi\u2019s right foot withstood the physical demands of the week.<\/p>\n \n\u201cIt was feeling worse at the start, but then it got better. I\u2019m actually surprised,\u201d Arnaldi said. \u201cUsually the past month, it has been the opposite. So that\u2019s a very positive sign. I don\u2019t have any expectations for Rome, I just want to recover and see how it\u2019s going to feel in the next few days. But if it\u2019s like this and I\u2019m able to practise, I\u2019m sure I will be able to get back to the level I want and I think I showed that this week.\u201d<\/p>\n \nTabilo wins second Aix-en-Provence crown \nAfter defeating four Top 100 players en route to the title, Tabilo became one of four players to have claimed multiple trophies at Challenger 175 level, alongside Ugo Humbert<\/a>, Nuno Borges<\/a> and Mariano Navone<\/a>.<\/p>\n \nTabilo is up eight places to No. 35 in the PIF ATP Rankings. His best result at ATP Tour level this year is a run to the Rio de Janeiro final.<\/p>\n \nWong makes history; Safiullin among other Challenger champions \nRoman Safiullin<\/a> won his second consecutive Challenger title after a marathon week at the Danube Upper Austria Open powered by SKE<\/a>. Two weeks after winning the Oeiras Challenger as a qualifier, the 28-year-old needed a deciding set in four of his five matches in Mauthausen, where he survived Jaime Faria<\/a> 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final. Safiullin beat Faria in the Oeiras quarter-finals with a similar scoreline of \t4-6, 6-3, 7-6(1).<\/p>\n \nSpaniard Nikolas Sanchez Izquierdo<\/a> lifted his first Challenger crown at the Ostra Group Open By Porsche Servisni Centrum Ostrava<\/a>. The 27-year-old beat home hope Zdenek Kolar<\/a> 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final.<\/p>\n \nGauthier Onclin<\/a> sealed back-to-back titles in C\u00f4te d’Ivoire, where he downed American Michael Mmoh<\/a> 6-3, 6-4 in the final. The Belgian is at a career-high World No. 183. Onclin leaves Abidjan after winning 10 consecutive matches.<\/p>\n \nOnclin\u2019s countryman Buvaysar Gadamauri<\/a> was crowned champion at the Shymkent Challenger 2<\/a>. A first-time Challenger champion, Gadamauri ousted India\u2019s 18-year-old Manas Dhamne<\/a> 7-6(6), 6-4 in the final.<\/p>\n Phew\u2026 what a week \ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8#ATPChallenger<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/K0EPA1Xrb1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) May 3, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n
Chilean Alejandro Tabilo<\/a> was crowned champion at the Open Aix Provence Cr\u00e9dit Agricole<\/a> for the second time in three years. The 28-year-old, who previously won the French tournament in 2024, overcame Belgian Zizou Bergs<\/a> 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the championship match.<\/p>\nAlejandro Tabilo signs autographs moments after winning the Aix-en-Provence Challenger.” style=”width:100%” src=”https:\/\/www.atptour.com\/-\/media\/images\/news\/2026\/05\/04\/15\/32\/tabilo-aixenprovencech-2026-fans.jpg”>
Alejandro Tabilo<\/a> signs autographs moments after winning the Aix-en-Provence Challenger. Credit: Mike Lawrence\/ATP Challenger<\/p>\n
Coleman Wong<\/a> entered the record books when he won the Jiangxi Open<\/a>, becoming the first champion from Hong Kong in ATP Challenger history. The 21-year-old defeated Adam Walton<\/a> 7-5, 7-6(4) in the final and is now at a career-high No. 110 in the PIF ATP Rankings.<\/p>\n