Federico Cina earned his maiden ATP Challenger title in Pune, India, after saving five championship points in a dramatic final. The 18-year-old Italian defeated Britain’s Felix Gill 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1) at the PMR Maha Open, becoming the fifth Italian teenager to win a Challenger trophy before turning 19.
A breakthrough moment
Cina had reached three Challenger finals in 2025 but fell short each time. In Pune, he held his nerve while serving at 5-6 in the deciding set, fending off five championship points before sealing victory in the tie-break. “It feels amazing having never won a Challenger title,” Cina said. “I hope this is only the first one.”
Young Italian champions
Cina joins an exclusive list of Italian teenagers who have won Challenger titles: Jannik Sinner (2019 Bergamo), Stefano Pescosolido (1989 Parioli), Luca Nardi (2022 Forli), and Lorenzo Musetti (2020 Forli). Cina’s triumph at 18 years and 11 months places him alongside these names as part of Italy’s rising generation.
Rising in the rankings
With the victory, Cina climbed to No. 183 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, setting up his Top 200 debut. Reflecting on the pressure moments, he explained: “It was very difficult to keep the focus on those points, but I really wanted to win this match so I fought until the end and fortunately I won,” he commented.
Other Challenger highlights
Joel Schwaerzler reached the Lugano Challenger final but was defeated by Zsombor Piros, who claimed his eighth Challenger crown. Piros rose 38 places to No. 142 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings after his victory. Meanwhile, Facundo Diaz Acosta won the AAT Challenger IEB Edicion Tigre II in Argentina, his first trophy since Buenos Aires 2024, and Sebastian Ofner captured the Open Saint-Brieuc Armor Agglomération title, his fifth Challenger crown.
The week’s results underline the depth of talent emerging on the ATP Challenger Tour, with Cina’s breakthrough standing out as a defining moment for Italian tennis.
Federico Cina in 2026
Now ranked no.183 (career-high), Cina played his last match on the 1st of March when he overcame world no.253 Felix Gill 6-3 5-7 7-6(1) in the final of the Pune Challenger to win his 1st challenger.
At the moment, during this season Federico has achieved an overall 9-4 record. This year, Cina conquered 1 tournament in the Pune Challenger.
