Argentine tennis player Mariano Navone won his first ATP title by defeating Spanish player Daniel Mérida 6-2, 4-6, and 7-5 in the final of the ATP 250 in Bucharest. Ranked 60th in the world, the Argentine achieved the biggest victory of his career after losing two finals in 2024. The match, held at the Simona Halep National Tennis Centre, lasted two hours and 17 minutes and featured a dramatic course with 14 service breaks. Navone dominated the first set clearly, lost the second in a game with seven breaks, and decided the third in a tight finish. He failed to secure the victory when serving at 5-3 and had two match points, but he regained control, broke again in the 12th game, and sealed the 7-5 win. From 9 de Julio, Navone approached the final with more experience after reaching two decisive stages on the tour. He arrived with accumulated fatigue: in the semi-finals, he played the longest match of the week, three hours and 31 minutes, against Botic van de Zandschulp, where he saved two match points. This victory marked a new push after an irregular period: he had been in the top 30 in 2024, fell to 99th, and faced physical difficulties, especially with his feet. The title adds to a positive streak with ten wins in his last eleven matches and comes after winning the Challenger in Punta Cana. His career includes titles in Poland, Braunschweig, Lima, Poznan, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz de Bolivia, Buenos Aires, and Cagliari. The achievement is part of an unprecedented event for Argentine tennis, with three finalists in ATP tournaments the same weekend: Marco Trungelliti in Marrakech and Román Burruchaga in Houston. Navone became the fourth Argentine champion in Bucharest, after Franco Davin, José Acasuso, and Juan Ignacio Chela, and settled his debt in ATP finals. His opponent also came from the qualifiers, which increased the physical demands of the match. Since February, Navone has been working with Alberto Mancini after ending his era with Andrés Dellatorre.
