ndia’s Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Ecuador’s Gonzalo Escobar have clinched the ATP 75 Lexington Challenger doubles title. In a closely contested final on the American hard courts, the third-seeded duo battled past the American team of Andre Ilagan and Karl Poling, winning 6-7(1), 6-3, 11-9.
The victory marks an incredible fifth Challenger title of the year for Poonacha, who has also reached four other tournament finals this season. This remarkable consistency firmly establishes his readiness to transition to the highest levels of the ATP tour.
Path to the Championship
Poonacha and Escobar were thoroughly tested throughout the week in Lexington, navigating a challenging draw that included rallying from a set down to topple the tournament’s top seeds:
- Round 1: Defeated Ariel Behar (URU) and Joshua Paris (GBR) 7-6(2), 7-6(6)
- Quarterfinals: Defeated Calum Puttergill (AUS) and Joshua Sheehy (USA) 6-1, 6-2
- Semifinals: Defeated the No. 1 seeded duo of Ray Ho (TPE) and Ivan Liutarevich (RUS) 4-6, 7-5, 10-6
- Final: Defeated Andre Ilagan (USA) and Karl Poling (USA) 6-7(1), 6-3, 11-9
Rankings and Rewards
With this triumph, the winning team secures $4,980 in total doubles prize money. The championship victory also yields 75 crucial ATP ranking points, which will elevate Poonacha’s individual ATP doubles ranking from No. 86 up to No. 85 in the world.
