SANTIAGO/STARNBERG, October 17, 2021
Sebastian Baez of Argentina and Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves will compete in Sunday’s singles final of the Dove Men & Care Legión Sudamericana Challenger Santiago 3 hosted by the Club Deportivo Palestino in Chile.
Baez, the No. 5 seed of the $52,080 clay-court tournament, rallied from a set down to overcome local favourite Tomas Barrios Vera 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday. The World No. 140 from Buenos Aires, a winner of three ATP Challenger Tour titles this season, converted six of his 11 break-point opportunities to secure victory in two hours and nine minutes.
Earlier in the day, Meligeni Rodrigues Alves beat his compatriot Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida 6-2, 6-4. The 23-year-old Campinas native won 55 per cent of the total points played to advance after one hour and 30 minutes.
Baez will bid for his fourth ATP Challenger career title. Meligeni Rodrigues Alves could lift his second trophy following his maiden triumph on home soil in Sao Paulo in November 2020. The pair will meet for the first time.
King/Schnur crowned doubles champions
In other action, Evan King and Max Schnur have become the first US-American team to win a doubles title in South American since 2012. The No. 4 seeds defeated third favourites Hans Hach Verdugo and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela of Mexico 3-6, 7-6(3), 16-14. The championship match lasted two hours and two minutes.
King and Schnur split $3,100 and pocketed 80 ATP Doubles Ranking points.
Santiago champions 🏆🏆
Max Schnur & @EvanKingChicago claim the title in Santiago, becoming the first all-🇺🇸 doubles team to win in South America since 2012.
📸 @LegionSudam pic.twitter.com/4ICf02qOPO
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 17, 2021
