BUENOS AIRES/STARNBERG, September 25, 2025

The YPF Buenos Aires Challenger presented by La Roche-Posay has guaranteed at least one home favourite in the semifinal of its 10th edition after Argentines Alex Barrena (ATP No. 186) and Guido Justo (No. 404) each recorded impressive victories to set up a quarterfinal clash. The tournament, organized by Torneos, is being staged from September 21–28 at the Racket Club in Palermo.

In the only all-Argentine singles match of the day, Justo overturned a 0–3 head-to-head deficit against Lorenzo Rodriguez with rock-solid serving. The Adrogue native won 74 percent of his first-serve points and was broken only once — when serving for the match at 5–2 in the second set. He immediately broke back to close out a 7-6(3), 6-3 win and reach the quarterfinals of an ATP Challenger Tour tournament for the fourth time in his career. The added bonus? It will be the first time he plays this stage at a Challenger on home soil.

“It was a very emotional match because I was a bit nervous when I served for it,” the 27-year-old said. “Fortunately I stayed mentally strong. That was crucial in such a difficult moment to avoid letting the match slip away.”

Barrena, meanwhile, continued his blistering form in Palermo after reaching his career-high ranking thanks to a runner-up finish in Villa Maria. The Buenos Aires-born 22-year-old led Hugo Dellien 6-1, 1-0 when last year’s semifinalist retired due to neck and shoulder discomfort. Barrena is now into his seventh Challenger quarterfinal of the season, holding a 5–1 record at this stage.

“Having tournaments in Argentina is always special. You feel at home — it’s spectacular,” Barrena said. “It’s a beautiful feeling to play in Buenos Aires because most of us live here.”

Elsewhere, Brazil’s Matheus Pucinelli de Almeida (No. 285) became the first player through to the quarterfinals after edging compatriot Joao Reis da Silva 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. The 24-year-old opened the match by sweeping the first eight games before weathering his opponent’s comeback to seal his third win in as many meetings. He next faces Ecuador’s Alvaro Guillen Meza (No. 226), who capped the day’s singles action with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Juan Carlos Prado Angelo. Guillen Meza became the first Ecuadorian to reach the Buenos Aires quarterfinals and will be playing his first Challenger quarterfinal in four months after winning his maiden title in Santos earlier this year.

Marching into the quarterfinals

Alvaro Guillen Meza cruises past Prado Angelo 6-1, 6-2 to book his place in the last eight in Buenos Aires#ATPChallenger | @alvaroguillen03 | @ChallengerBA pic.twitter.com/Yh9h3iuGmW

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) September 24, 2025

In doubles, Villa María champions Guillermo Duran and Mariano Kestelboim began their Buenos Aires campaign with a 6-4, 3-6, 10-3 win over Bolivia’s Boris Arias and Murkel Dellien, the fourth seeds. Ignacio Carou and Santiago Rodriguez Taverna produced another upset, knocking out top seeds Gonzalo Escobar of Ecuador and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela from Mexico 6-3, 7-6(4).