BUENOS AIRES/STARNBERG, September 26, 2025

The YPF Buenos Aires Challenger presented by La Roche–Posay will feature five Argentine players in the quarterfinals of its 10th edition. Held at the Racket Club in Palermo from September 21 to 28 and organized by Torneos, the event already had Alex Barrena and Guido Justo confirmed on Wednesday; Nicolas Kicker, Genaro Olivieri and Roman Burruchaga have now joined them.

Kicker (ATP No. 223) mirrored the formula that earned him victory in his opener against Cristian Garin. Relying on a strong serve, he saved eight of ten break points faced to defeat Facundo Bagnis 6-3, 6-4. The 30-year-old, who lifted the title here eight years ago, is contesting his fifth Challenger quarterfinal of the season. His best run so far came in Concepción, Chile, where he fell to Emilio Nava in the final.

Un ex campeón que sueña con repetir…

Nico Kicker , campeón en 2017, derrotó 6-3 y 6-4 a Facu Bagnis y avanzó a cuartos de final del YPF Buenos Aires Challenger pic.twitter.com/ljOEP5jPGB

— Buenos Aires Challenger (@ChallengerBA) September 25, 2025

“It was a tough match because he had beaten me most of the times we played before; he’s left-handed and tricky,” said Kicker. “But I feel better every day, getting used to the balls and enjoying having my whole family here. This is a wonderful tournament.”

The day began with a win for Gonzalo Bueno (No. 257), who backed up his dramatic first-round comeback against Federico Gomez—when he trailed 5-1 in the deciding set—by upsetting seventh seed Francesco Maestrelli. The 22-year-old Peruvian from Trujillo advanced 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach his eighth Challenger quarterfinal of a breakthrough season that has already brought him a title in Liberec and a runner-up finish in Lima.

Playing almost flawlessly on serve, winning 71 per cent of points behind both first and second deliveries, Genaro Olivieri (No. 223) ended Daniel Vallejo’s 12-match winning streak and claimed his first victory over the Paraguayan in their three career meetings. The Bragado native, who is chasing a third Challenger final this year, is making his debut among the last eight in Buenos Aires. “Playing here has always been a joy and I’m very happy to reach this stage,” Olivieri said. “The support from the crowd means everything after spending so much time on international tours.”

Roman Burruchaga (No. 144), the only seeded player left at No. 6, capped the day’s singles action by defeating Andrea Collarini 6-2, 6-4. Five aces and a 71 per cent first-serve win rate underpinned his fifth straight victory over Collarini. The 22-year-old from Buenos Aires, who broke into an ATP quarterfinal for the first time this season in Gstaad and won the Challenger title in Piracicaba, is edging closer to a Top 100 debut.

Thursday Results

Second-Round Singles 

(6) Román Burruchaga (ARG) def. Andrea Collarini (ARG) 6-2, 6-4

Gonzalo Bueno (PER) def. (7) Francesco Maestrelli (ITA) 6-3, 7-6(3)

(ALT) Nicolás Kicker (ARG) def. (WC) Facundo Bagnis (ARG) 6-3, 6-4

Genaro Olivieri (ARG) def. Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (PAR) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles Quarterfinal

Pedro Boscardin Dias (BRA) / Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva (BRA) def. [WC] Dante Pagani (ARG) / Ian Luca Vertberger (ARG) 7-6(3), 6-2

Alex Barrena (ARG) / Hernán Casanova (ARG) def. Ignacio Carou (URU) / Santiago Rodriguez Taverna (ARG) 6-2, 6-2

Francesco Maestrelli (ITA) / Bruno Oliveira (BRA) def. [ALT] Luciano Emanuel Ambrogi (ARG) / Lautaro Midón (ARG) 7-6(5), 5-7, 10-8

Guillermo Durán (ARG) / Mariano Kestelboim (ARG) vs. Federico Agustín Gómez (ARG) / Nicolás Kicker (ARG)