The wait is over, but unfortunately, it’s not the news Spanish tennis fans were hoping for – a blank slate at the seventh attempt, with no titles to show for in the ITF and Challenger circuits, the stepping stones to professional tennis greatness. This lack of success puts the spotlight even more intensely on Spanish tennis and its usual Sunday harvest of titles. For Iñaki Montes, it’s been a case of bad luck.
Let’s dive into the action on the women’s circuit first. At the W75 tournament in Trnava, Slovakia, Leyre Romero Gormaz made it to the quarterfinals in singles and semifinals in doubles. Meanwhile, in the W50 tournament in Macon, France, Andrea Lázaro García reached the semifinals, and in the W35 tournament in Antalya, Turkey, Ángela Fita Boluda partnered her way to the doubles semifinals. These performances, while not title-winning, demonstrate the depth of talent in Spanish women’s tennis.
Moving over to the men’s circuit, Tomás Currás Abasolo put in a solid performance at the M25 tournament in Faro, Portugal, reaching the quarterfinals, while Rafael Izquierdo Luque made it to the doubles semifinals. Back on home soil, at the M15 tournament in Villena, Spain, Iñaki Montes de la Rosa was set to compete in the final but was forced to withdraw due to medical issues, handing the title to Italian Raúl Brancaccio. John Echeverría and Miguel Damas, along with Álex Martínez, also showed promising form, reaching the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. In doubles, Álex Martínez and Iñaki Montes paired up to reach the final, and Sergi Fita and Álvaro Bueno made it to the semifinals. Further afield, at the M15 tournament in Pretoria, South Africa, Izan Almazán enjoyed a successful stint, reaching the singles semifinals and doubles final. Carlos López Montagud fought his way to the quarterfinals at the M15 tournament in Antalya, Turkey, and in the M15 tournament in Huamantla, Mexico, Iván Marrero Curbelo advanced to the doubles semifinals.
Lastly, on the Challenger ATP 75 stage in Lugano, Switzerland, David Vega Hernández reached the doubles semifinals, completing a mixed bag of results for Spanish tennis across the various circuits. While there might not be any new titles to celebrate this time around, the consistent presence of Spanish players in the latter stages of these tournaments is a testament to the country’s tennis prowess and a hopeful sign for future successes.