Challenger
Giron Triumphs Over Four Match Points; Quinn Rings in Birthday with Victory at Phoenix Challenger
Hurkacz Stumbles in Cap Cana
March 13, 2026
SMASHLAB
Marcos Giron showcases his skills at the Arizona Tennis Classic on Thursday.
By ATP Staff
On an exhilarating Thursday at the Arizona Tennis Classic—an ATP Challenger 175 event in Phoenix—Americans Marcos Giron and Ethan Quinn advanced to the quarter-finals through different paths.
Giron, facing a nail-biting match, held off four match points to secure a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(9) victory against qualifier Jay Friend. Meanwhile, Quinn swiftly outplayed Michael Mmoh with a score of 6-1, 6-3, making his 22nd birthday memorable.
“My girlfriend decorated our hotel room with ‘Happy Birthday’ signs, and my mom created one too,” said Quinn, who is seeded eighth in Phoenix. “We had to celebrate for at least the first 10 minutes of this morning.”
A birthday treat in Phoenix for Ethan Quinn 🥳🎂#ATPChallenger | @aztennisclassic pic.twitter.com/cMmE2zMbTA
— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 13, 2026
The seventh seed, Giron, found himself down 3/6 in the deciding-set tie-break against Arizona senior Friend. After saving three consecutive match points, he held off another at 7/8 and rallied to win four out of the next five points. Giron’s upcoming challenge comes against two-time champion Nuno Borges, the No. 49 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who defeated James Duckworth 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
“I took a bit to find my rhythm and focused on putting more returns in play,” said Borges. “His serve was challenging, but I felt I grew stronger as the match progressed, maintaining my physicality to look for opportunities.”
Top seed Corentin Moutet breezed past fellow Frenchman Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-4. American teenager Darwin Blanch’s run ended as Billy Harris bested him 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(6) in a gripping match lasting nearly three hours. Third seed Adrian Mannarino overcame Blaise Bicknell 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-2.
Hurkacz Upset in Cap Cana; Kecmanovic & Blockx Progress
Former World No. 6 Hubert Hurkacz experienced an unexpected defeat in his first ATP Challenger match in seven years. The Polish player, who had undergone arthroscopic knee surgery last July, succumbed to Italian Mattia Bellucci 6-2, 6-4 at the Republica Dominicana Open – Copa Cap Cana.
“I knew it would be challenging from the outset, especially with his strengths in serving and backhanding,” Bellucci reflected on his match against Hurkacz.
Moving into the quarter-finals, Bellucci will face fifth seed Raphael Collignon, who overcame Luca Van Assche 7-5, 6-4.
Top seed Miomir Kecmanovic started his campaign with a 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over American Mackenzie McDonald, while Alexander Blockx, last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals finalist, edged past Dalibor Svrcina 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3 after an exhausting two-hour and fifty-seven-minute clash.
Second seed Valentin Royer triumphed with a 6-4, 7-6(5) win against seasoned tour veteran Roberto Bautista Agut, and sixth seed Mariano Navone defeated Shintaro Mochizuki 6-4, 7-5.
🔥 Blockx 🔥🌴
The Belgian battles past Svrcina 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3 for a quarter-final spot #ATPChallenger | Cap Cana🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/nS8kjCtT05
— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 12, 2026
