An 18-year-old Italian prodigy etched his name in the annals of tennis history by conquering the Mahaopen ATP Challenger 75 in Pune. Federico Sina, seeded sixth, overcame Britain’s Felix Gill in a three-set marathon, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(1), on Sunday at the Balewadi Tennis Stadium. This maiden Challenger title came after a dramatic fightback that will be remembered for years.
From the outset, Sina controlled proceedings with precise groundstrokes and unerring serves, wrapping up the first set comfortably. Gill, however, refused to yield, mounting a comeback in the second set by capitalizing on a key break to force a decider. The third set was a spectacle of resilience, featuring long baseline exchanges that tested the fitness of both competitors.
Trailing 5-6, Sina stared down five match points in what seemed like his final service game. With nerves of steel, he clawed back to push for a tie-break, where he dismantled Gill 7-1 in ruthless fashion. The 2-hour-29-minute clash kept spectators glued, culminating in joyous celebrations for the victor.
Sina’s rewards included the champion’s trophy, $17,000 prize money, and valuable 75 ATP points. Gill took home $9,600 and 40 points as runner-up. Organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association with support from government bodies, the event highlighted emerging talents and thrilled Pune’s tennis fans, signaling bright futures ahead.