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Federico Cina Saves 5 Match Points to Win Dramatic MahaOpen ATP Title

Sixth seed Federico Cina of Italy won the MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75 men's tennis championship in Pune after a thrilling three-set final against Britain's Felix Gill. The 18-year-old staged a stunning comeback in the decisive third set, saving five match points while trailing 5-6. He then dominated the tie-break 7-1 to clinch his first ATP Challenger title in dramatic fashion. The victory earned Cina $17,000 in prize money and 75 valuable ATP ranking points.

Key Points: Federico Cina Wins MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75 in Pune

  • Cina saved 5 match points
  • Won maiden ATP Challenger title
  • Secured 7-1 tie-break in final set
  • Earned $17,000 & 75 ranking points
  • Tournament organized by MSLTA
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Federico Cina wins MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75 Men's Tennis C'ship

Italian teen Federico Cina saved five match points to defeat Felix Gill and clinch his maiden ATP Challenger 75 title in a dramatic Pune final.

"The teenager displayed remarkable composure to fend off each one and force a tie-break. - Report"

Pune, Mar 1

Sixth seed Federico Cina produced a stunning comeback under pressure to defeat Britain's Felix Gill 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 and lift the MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75 Men's Tennis Championship at the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul, Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Italian clinched his maiden ATP Challenger title in dramatic fashion, saving five match points in the final set before dominating the decisive tie-break. The gripping contest lasted two hours and 29 minutes and kept the packed crowd on the edge of their seats.

Cina appeared in control early on, using aggressive baseline play and consistent serving to take the opening set 6-3. Gill responded with resilience in the second set, capitalising on a crucial break of serve to level the match at one set apiece.

The third set delivered high-intensity rallies and relentless baseline exchanges, with neither player yielding ground. Serving at 5-6, Cina found himself staring at defeat as Gill earned five match points. However, the teenager displayed remarkable composure to fend off each one and force a tie-break. Raising his game at the crucial moment, the Palermo native raced to a 7-1 win in the breaker to seal the championship in emphatic style.

For his triumph, Cina received the winner's trophy, USD 17,000 in prize money and 75 ATP ranking points. Gill, the runner-up, earned USD 9,600 and 40 ranking points.

The tournament was organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, the PCMC, the PMC, and the PMDTA.

The prizes were presented by Prithviraj B.P., Additional Municipal Commissioner of the Pune Municipal Corporation, along with MSLTA President Prashant Sutar, Secretary Sunder Iyer, Joint Secretary Rajiv Desai, ATP Supervisor Rogerio Santos and referee Leena Nageshkar.

Results:

Singles Final:

Federico Cina [6] (ITA) bt Felix Gill (GBR) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (1).

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Kudos to MSLTA and all the organizers for hosting a successful event. These tournaments are so important for inspiring our young players. Hope we see an Indian champion here soon!
A
Aman W
The article mentions a packed crowd, which is fantastic. But I wish the coverage on TV was better. Hard to find these Challenger events on sports channels, they only show the big ATP tournaments.
P
Priyanka N
Amazing fight from both players. Gill must be heartbroken after having 5 chances to win. At 18, Cina has a bright future. Tennis in Pune is thriving! 👏
D
David E
Attended the final with my family. The atmosphere at Balewadi was electric! Well organized event. My kids were so inspired. Hope Maharashtra government continues to support such sports.
K
Karthik V
$17,000 for the winner seems quite low for this level of competition and effort, no? After taxes and expenses, not much left. But the ranking points are the real prize. Great win for the young Italian.

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