SAO PAULO/STARNBERG, July 27, 2025
Lucas Andrade da Silva, 20, captured the first professional title of his career on Sunday, defeating fellow Brazilian Gustavo Ribeiro de Almeida in the final of the Brasil Tennis Classic, an ITF World Tennis Tour M25 event. In front of packed stands at Esporte Clube Pinheiros in Sao Paulo, Silva came from a set down to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in an all-Brazilian championship match.
The final served as a testament to the efforts of the tournament’s organizers Instituto Sports, which has been instrumental in promoting tennis in Brazil and providing opportunities to promising juniors. Both players previously received wild cards into professional events as juniors, and their rise to the final was a strong endorsement of that investment.
The match unfolded with early nerves on both sides, and it was Almeida who found his rhythm first, claiming the opening set 6-4. But his intensity dropped in the second, allowing Silva to level the match with a 6-2 set. The third followed a similar pattern, as Silva took full control and sealed the victory with another 6-2 set, celebrating his maiden title on home soil.
A student-athlete at the University of South Carolina in the United States, Silva credited much of his success to his college experience:
“I’m really happy with this title. I didn’t expect to come this far this week. I want to thank my friends who came from Santos, my coach here during the week, Wilson Souza, and especially everyone at the university in the U.S. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. College tennis has been great for me and is a perfect bridge for anyone looking to turn pro,” said Silva.
Looking ahead, the two players are expected to cross paths again on the international stage. Almeida, who reached his first M25 final in São Paulo, will soon head to the U.S. as well, where he’ll join the University of Georgia tennis team in August.
“It didn’t end the way I wanted, but I congratulate Lucas for an excellent week. It was a great tournament for me too—I had never reached an M25 final before. Thanks to everyone who made this possible. We keep going—there’s still a lot ahead,” Almeida said.
For his runner-up finish, Almeida earned 16 ATP ranking points and $2,700 in prize money. Silva took home $4,600 and 25 ATP points, which is projected to push him up around 400 spots in the world rankings, landing near No. 750 when the new list is released.
