TIGRE/STARNBERG, February 22, 2026
Guido Justo captured the title of the AAT Challenger IEB+ Tigre I, defeating Lautaro Midon 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a thrilling final played before more than 400 spectators at Club Nautico Hacoaj in Buenos Aires’ northern suburbs.
At 28 years old, Justo delivered one of the finest performances of his career, capping off a remarkable week with a dominant third set in the championship match. The victory not only earned him his maiden ATP Challenger Tour trophy but will also propel him to a career-high ranking inside the world’s Top 275.
Perseverance pays off
28-year-old Guido Justo claims his maiden ATP Challenger title after beating Midon in a three-set battle in Tigre #ATPChallenger | @AATenis pic.twitter.com/9dTdPP6ouo
— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) February 22, 2026
The celebration that followed was as memorable as the match itself. Fans flooded the center court – named after Argentine star Diego Schwartzman – to share the moment with the Adrogue native. Overwhelmed with emotion, Justo expressed his gratitude: “I’m very happy this happened here, in front of my people. They’re an amazing group and I love them very much. Being able to share this with them is something very special. I’ve been working really hard—months of changes and effort. I’m happy this is the first of, hopefully, many.”
He also highlighted the importance of competing at home. “I want to thank the AAT. For us, having tournaments in our country is wonderful. Being able to share them with our people and not having to travel so far during the year is very important.”
Despite the breakthrough, Justo remains focused on the bigger picture. “My goals are still the same. I have to keep training the same way. In fact, this is when you need to stay even more focused because it’s easy to relax. So it’s the opposite: push harder and train more. It’s a moment to enjoy, but the year is just beginning.”
Reflecting on the week, Justo said he always enters tournaments with the dream of lifting the trophy, even knowing that results do not always follow expectations. As he advanced through the rounds and confidence grew, the goal felt closer. Still, when the final stretched into a deciding set, he knew the job was far from done. “I took it point by point,” he explained.
One of the most emotional moments came when Justo spoke about a difficult period in his career when he considered retiring. “I went through tough times, and that’s why I stopped playing for a while. It was hard, but I did a lot of personal work to move forward. Little by little, tennis helped me enjoy being on court again—and that’s what brought me back here.”
Justo’s road to the title included victories over Franco Agamenone in the opening round, Facundo Diaz Acosta in the round of 16, Brazil’s Bruno Fernandes in the quarterfinals, Peru’s Gonzalo Bueno in the semifinals, and finally Midon in the championship match.
