Arthur Cazaux Ascends to New Heights After Jinan Challenger Victory
Virtanen Triumphs in Roanne; Choinski Shares Top Spot in Title Race
October 14, 2025
2025 Jinan Open Highlights
Arthur Cazaux Clinches Championship at the Jinan Challenger.
By ATP Staff
French tennis star Arthur Cazaux celebrated his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday, achieving a personal best in the PIF ATP Rankings.
As the top seed at the 2025 Jinan Open, Cazaux showcased remarkable skill by losing only one set throughout the tournament. In the final, he decisively defeated Mackenzie McDonald with a score of 6-3, 6-2, avenging his loss to the American in last year’s Shenzhen Challenger final.
Following this victory, the 23-year-old has climbed to No. 58 in the PIF ATP Rankings. This triumph marks Cazaux’s first Challenger title of the season, during which he has contested five events at this level. Earlier this year, he also reached his first tour-level final in Kitzbühel.
“First title of the year!” Cazaux shared on Instagram, adding the joyous hashtag ‘#loveindoors’.
Virtanen Maintains Perfect Challenger Final Record
Finland’s Otto Virtanen made a strong comeback, securing his second Challenger title of the year and a total of eight. The 24-year-old triumphed at the l’Open Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes de Roanne, outlasting local hero Hugo Gaston with a scoreline of 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the final.
Now ranked No. 116 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Virtanen has extended his flawless record in Challenger finals to 8-0, with seven of these victories occurring indoors, including his latest at Roanne. Earlier this year, he celebrated his first Challenger title on grass in Birmingham.
Otto Virtanen at the Roanne Challenger. Credit: Clement Corso
University of Arizona’s Friend Claims First Challenger Title
Jay Dylan Friend achieved a notable victory at the Solano Challenger in Fairfield, California, marking his first Challenger title in just four appearances. The 21-year-old senior from the University of Arizona advanced through the qualifiers and triumphed over fellow qualifier Edward Winter, winning 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 in the final.
Hailing from Tokyo, Japan, Friend earned a spot in the ATP Next Gen Accelerator programme this year, showcasing his impressive collegiate performance. Entering the tournament as World No. 743, he is now the second-lowest ranked champion on the Challenger circuit this season, soaring 263 spots to a career-high No. 480.
Choinski’s Fourth Title of 2025; Peniston Joins in Victory
Jan Choinski and Ryan Peniston took different routes to success, both adding titles to their collections. Choinski engaged in nail-biting matches at the Copa Faulcombridge by Marcos Automocion in Valencia, culminating in a final where he halted Croatian Luka Mikrut’s nine-match winning streak with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory. Mikrut had won the previous week’s Braga Challenger.
With his fourth Challenger title this season, the 29-year-old Choinski now shares the lead for the most titles in 2025 with Borna Coric, Emilio Nava, and #NextGenATP talent Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.
Jan Choinski in action at the Valencia Challenger. Credit: Copa Faulcombridge by Marcos Automocion
Peniston only dropped one set in five matches to claim victory at the Hersonissos Challenger 5. The 29-year-old defeated the top seed Kimmer Coppejans with a score of 6-3, 7-5, marking his return to the Top 200 for the first time in 20 months.
Barrios Vera Secures Clay-Court Title in Cali
Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera completed a dominant week at the Kia Open in Cali, Colombia, clinching his sixth Challenger title. The top seed effortlessly defeated Juan Carlos Prado Angelo 6-1, 6-4 in the final. Throughout the tournament, Barrios Vera lost no more than six games in any match.
