Facundo Diaz Acosta defeated Marco Cecchinato in a marathon three-set final to claim his second Aspria Tennis Cup title in Milan. The Argentine prevailed 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in three hours and 23 minutes of gruelling clay-court tennis at the Aspria Harbour Club, delivering one of the most dramatic finals in the 20-year history of the ATP Challenger event.
The match began under scorching midday heat, and neither player could find a breakthrough in the opening set. Every service game was fiercely contested, with baseline exchanges lasting well into double digits. When the first-set tiebreak arrived, Cecchinato was imperious, racing to a 7-0 lead without conceding a single point. It was a stunning display of precision from the Italian, who was chasing an unprecedented third Aspria title — he had won in 2016 and 2025.
Diaz Acosta, however, refused to crumble. The second set followed an eerily similar pattern, with both players holding serve until another tiebreak. This time, the momentum swung decisively. Diaz Acosta found his range and nerve, clinching the breaker 7-5 to level the match at a set apiece.
The decider was the most dramatic of the three. Cecchinato seized an early break to lead 3-1, and appeared to be on the verge of a historic triumph. But the Argentine dug deep, breaking back and surviving two match-point situations as the Italian closed to within two points of victory. A third tiebreak was required, and on the biggest stage, Diaz Acosta delivered.
At 5-5 in the final tiebreak, the turning point arrived: Cecchinato committed a double fault, losing his grip on the racquet and sailing the second serve long. Diaz Acosta capitalised on the very next point to seal the title. The Argentine celebrated with his coach Federico Delbonis, himself a former champion of the tournament.
For Diaz Acosta, the victory represents a return to form on his favourite surface. His second Aspria crown — three years after his first — underscores his resilience and big-match temperament. Cecchinato, despite the heartbreaking defeat, can take enormous pride in a performance that thrilled the Milan crowd and etched this final into tournament folklore.
Sources
- https://www.tennisitaliano.it/aspria-tennis-cup-diaz-acosta-supera-cecchinato-in-una-finale-epica/
