SZCZECIN/STARNBERG, September 13, 2025
Argentine Thiago Tirante and Spain’s Pablo Llamas Ruiz will meet in Sunday’s championship match of the 32nd Invest In Szczecin Open after both semifinals went the distance.
Tirante, a 24-year-old from La Plata, would return to the Top 100 with a victory in Szczecin. He owns five ATP Challenger titles, including one this season on home soil in Cordoba.
His opponent on Saturday, Geoffrey Blancaneaux, peaked at No. 134 in November 2022. Three years older than Tirante, the Frenchman has three Challenger titles to his name. This was the first meeting between the two players.
The opening set was fiercely contested, with both men dropping serve early. Long rallies pushed the set to 66 minutes before Blancaneaux edged it. The next two, however, went to Tirante, who took advantage of the Frenchman’s cramping and reduced movement. Despite the scoreline, Blancaneaux fought until the end but his run ended in the semifinals.
“It’s been a very solid season for me. I’m playing good tennis and improving with every match, so I’m really happy,” said Tirante. “All the matches here have been demanding and this one was especially tough because I lost the first set. My opponent played great but I managed to stay cool.”
This is Tirante’s second appearance at the Invest in Szczecin Open. “The first time didn’t go so well, but now everything is really good and I’m thrilled to play the final here – with this crowd, on this court. I really like the city and the conditions,” he added.
In the second semifinal, Spain’s Pablo Llamas Ruiz faced Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta. The 22-year-old from Jerez de la Frontera is known for his deep-court game and technical style. He captured his first Challenger title in Segovia in 2023 and reached the quarterfinals in Estoril in 2024. Last October he was ranked No. 131 in the world, and this summer he qualified for the US Open before losing in the first round to compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta.
Diaz Acosta, from Buenos Aires, lifted his first ATP title at the 2024 Argentina Open as a wild card and owns five Challenger trophies.
Their match followed a similar pattern. The first set was decided in a marathon 71-minute tie-break, which Diaz Acosta won. But the Spaniard responded by taking the next two sets.
First final since July 2023 ‼️@pablotenis_02 fends off Diaz Acosta 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 in the Szczecin semifinals #ATPChallenger | @SzczecinOpen pic.twitter.com/fpkly8h475
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 13, 2025
“It was a really tough match from the very beginning. We played a lot of long rallies,” said Llamas Ruiz. “I knew that if I played my tennis I would create chances. I believed in myself and I won, which makes me very happy. From day one here I’ve felt confident and played well. I love the city, the atmosphere and the fans. It’s great that I get to stay one more day and play the final.”
