Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Lisbon challenger 2026 (Portugal) 20.10.26

The rest of the first round at the Lisbon Challenger on clay, with form, serve and return numbers and a full Tale of the Tape for every match. Times are as listed by the tournament schedule.

Matej Dodig vs Joao Domingues

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 10:00

🧠 Form & Context

Matej Dodig

  • 🔥 Ranked No. 138 at 21, 8–2 in his last 10 and winning 71% of recent matches.
  • ✅ Reached the Maia semi-finals last week, losing to eventual champion Passaro in three sets.
  • 🚀 The stronger first serve: 70.8% won over his career, 75% recently.
  • 🏆 Strong closer – 60% of deciding sets over his career, 63% this season.
  • 🔒 Saves 60.8% of break points.

Joao Domingues

  • 🇵🇹 The home player: ranked No. 578 at 33, 3–7 in his last 10.
  • 🎾 Lands 66.8% of first serves.
  • 🔁 Slightly the better returner: 42% of return points won and 44% of break points converted.
  • 🏆 Wins 57% of tiebreaks.
  • ⚠️ Weak behind his first serve: 62.9% won, 64% recently.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A first meeting between one of the form players on the Challenger tour and a veteran Portuguese player with the home crowd behind him. Dodig is a very heavy favourite at 1.08.

Dodig's first serve is the clear difference – almost eight percentage points better than Domingues's – and he saves break points more often.

Domingues lands more first serves and is fractionally the better returner, so he can make some return games competitive.

Dodig has the much better deciding-set record (60% vs 52% career), while their tiebreak records are close.

Dodig has the form, the serve and the momentum from Maia. The favourite should come through.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricDodigDomingues
Ranking138578
Age2133
Last 108–23–7
Head-to-head00
First serves in59.8%66.8%
1st-serve points won70.8%62.9%
2nd-serve points won50.4%50.4%
Break points saved60.8%56.3%
Break points converted40.7%44.0%
Return points won (career)40%42%
Tiebreak win %56%57%
Deciding-set win % (career)60%52%
Best-of-3 win %63%55%

See this match on Polymarket

Andrea Pellegrino vs Pol Martin Tiffon

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 10:00

🧠 Form & Context

Andrea Pellegrino

  • 📊 Ranked No. 144 at 29, 3–7 in his last 10.
  • ⚔️ Beat Martin Tiffon 6–4 6–4 on clay in Murcia in March.
  • 🎾 Lands 62.5% of first serves and wins 50.8% on second-serve points.
  • 🔓 Converting 46% of break points recently.
  • ⚠️ Only 53% career record in best-of-three.

Pol Martin Tiffon

  • 📊 Ranked No. 211 at 27, 4–6 in his last 10.
  • 📉 Lost to Piros in the second round in Maia last week.
  • 🎯 Stronger behind his first serve: 69% won.
  • 🔁 The better returner: 42% of return points won.
  • 📊 62% career record in best-of-three.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A rematch of their meeting in Murcia in March, which Pellegrino won in straight sets. Both arrive with poor recent records.

Martin Tiffon wins more behind his first serve (69% vs 65.8%), while Pellegrino lands more first serves and is fractionally better on the second ball.

Martin Tiffon is the better returner (42% vs 40% of return points), but Pellegrino has been converting break points far more often recently (46% vs 37%).

Their tight-set numbers are identical – 53% in both tiebreaks and deciding sets – but Martin Tiffon has the much better best-of-three record (62% vs 53%).

Pellegrino has the ranking and the head-to-head; Martin Tiffon has the first serve and the return. A close one on clay.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricPellegrinoMartin Tiffon
Ranking144211
Age2927
Last 103–74–6
Head-to-head10
First serves in62.5%58.3%
1st-serve points won65.8%69.0%
2nd-serve points won50.8%50.0%
Break points saved57.8%58.2%
Break points converted43.1%42.9%
Return points won (career)40%42%
Tiebreak win %53%53%
Deciding-set win % (career)53%53%
Best-of-3 win %53%62%

See this match on Polymarket

Raul Brancaccio vs Calvin Hemery

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 10:00

🧠 Form & Context

Raul Brancaccio

  • 📊 Ranked No. 230 at 29, 3–7 in his last 10 and winning only 39% of recent matches.
  • ⚔️ Beat Hemery 6–4 7–6 indoors in Cesenatico in February.
  • 🔁 The better returner: 43% of return points won and 44.7% of break points converted.
  • 🏆 Wins 53% of tiebreaks.
  • ⚠️ Weak behind his serve: 65.7% on first-serve points and 48.3% on second.

Calvin Hemery

  • 🔥 Ranked No. 276 at 31, 8–2 in his last 10 and winning 65% of recent matches.
  • 🚀 The far stronger first serve: 72% won.
  • 🔒 Saves 60.2% of break points, 62% recently.
  • 🏆 Has won 57% of deciding sets this season.
  • ⚠️ Weaker on return: 38% of return points won.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A rematch of their meeting in Cesenatico in February, which Brancaccio won. Since then their form has gone in opposite directions, and Hemery is now the favourite.

Hemery's first serve is the main weapon: more than six percentage points better than Brancaccio's, with stronger break-point defence.

Brancaccio is clearly the better returner (43% vs 38% of return points), which is his route into the match on a slow clay court.

Hemery has the better record under pressure this season – 57% of deciding sets against Brancaccio's 41%.

Hemery has the form and the serve; Brancaccio has the return and the head-to-head. The numbers lean to the Frenchman.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricBrancaccioHemery
Ranking230276
Age2931
Last 103–78–2
Head-to-head10
First serves in61.8%62.1%
1st-serve points won65.7%72.0%
2nd-serve points won48.3%49.4%
Break points saved57.2%60.2%
Break points converted44.7%40.2%
Return points won (career)43%38%
Tiebreak win %53%54%
Deciding-set win % (career)45%55%
Best-of-3 win %56%59%

See this match on Polymarket

Patrick Schoen vs Svyatoslav Gulin

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 11:30

🧠 Form & Context

Patrick Schoen

  • 🔥 Ranked No. 343 at 21, 8–2 in his last 10 and winning 80% of recent matches.
  • 🔁 An excellent returner: 45% of return points won.
  • 🏆 Superb under pressure: 63% of tiebreaks and 66% of deciding sets won.
  • 📊 A 75% career record in best-of-three.
  • 📏 A small sample of matches at this level.

Svyatoslav Gulin

  • 📈 Ranked No. 545 at 23, 6–4 in his last 10 and winning 63% of recent matches.
  • 🎾 Lands 61.2% of first serves and wins 52.4% on second-serve points.
  • 🔒 Saves 58.8% of break points.
  • 🔓 Converts 46% of break points.
  • ⚠️ Only 41% of deciding sets won this season.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A meeting between two players in good form – Schoen has won eight of his last 10, Gulin six. Schoen is the favourite.

On serve there is little between them: Schoen wins slightly more behind his first serve, Gulin more behind his second.

Schoen is the better returner (45% vs 43% of return points), while Gulin converts break points slightly more often.

The tight-set numbers favour Schoen strongly: 63% of tiebreaks against 54%, and 64% of deciding sets this season against 41%.

Schoen has the form, the return and the clutch numbers, though from a small sample. The favourite looks well supported.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricSchoenGulin
Ranking343545
Age2123
Last 108–26–4
Head-to-head00
First serves in58.1%61.2%
1st-serve points won67.6%66.3%
2nd-serve points won51.5%52.4%
Break points saved56.2%58.8%
Break points converted45.3%46.0%
Return points won (career)45%43%
Tiebreak win %63%54%
Deciding-set win % (career)66%58%
Best-of-3 win %75%69%

See this match on Polymarket

Carlos Taberner vs Alexander Ritschard

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 11:30

🧠 Form & Context

Carlos Taberner

  • 📊 Ranked No. 447 at 29, 6–4 in his last 10.
  • 🔁 The better returner: 43% of return points won and 45.7% of break points converted.
  • 🎾 Lands 62.4% of first serves.
  • 📊 62% career record in best-of-three.
  • ⚠️ Converting only 38% of break points recently.

Alexander Ritschard

  • 🔥 Ranked No. 483 at 32, 9–1 in his last 10 and winning 85% of recent matches.
  • 🚀 The stronger first serve: 69.8% won over his career, 74% recently.
  • 🔒 Saves 60.5% of break points.
  • 🏆 Has won 80% of deciding sets this season.
  • ⚠️ Lands only 59.1% of first serves.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A first meeting between a Spanish clay-courter and a Swiss veteran on a remarkable run. Ritschard has won nine of his last 10 and is the favourite.

Ritschard has the better first serve (69.8% vs 66.4%) and the stronger break-point defence.

Taberner is the better returner over his career (43% vs 41% of return points), but Ritschard has been the sharper converter recently (47% vs 38%).

Ritschard has also won 80% of his deciding sets this season – a sign of how confident he is right now.

Ritschard has the form and the serve; Taberner has the return and the clay pedigree. The favourite looks justified.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricTabernerRitschard
Ranking447483
Age2932
Last 106–49–1
Head-to-head00
First serves in62.4%59.1%
1st-serve points won66.4%69.8%
2nd-serve points won49.6%50.0%
Break points saved57.7%60.5%
Break points converted45.7%41.4%
Return points won (career)43%41%
Tiebreak win %51%53%
Deciding-set win % (career)53%54%
Best-of-3 win %62%60%

See this match on Polymarket

Benjamin Hassan vs Nikolas Sanchez-Izquierdo

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 13:00

🧠 Form & Context

Benjamin Hassan

  • 📊 Ranked No. 497 at 31, 5–5 in his last 10.
  • 📉 Lost to Piros in the first round in Maia last week.
  • 🚀 The stronger first serve: 69.2% won, 71% recently.
  • 🏆 Wins 54% of tiebreaks over his career.
  • ⚠️ Lands only 55% of first serves.

Nikolas Sanchez-Izquierdo

  • 📈 Ranked No. 154 at 27, 7–3 in his last 10.
  • ✅ Beat Andrej Martin in Maia last week before losing to Passaro in two tiebreaks.
  • 🔁 The far better returner: 44% of return points won and 46.3% of break points converted.
  • 🎾 Lands 65.1% of first serves.
  • ⚠️ Weak behind his first serve (63.9%) and in tiebreaks (46%).

🔍 Match Breakdown

A first meeting between two players who were both in Maia last week. Sanchez-Izquierdo went further and is the favourite at 1.40.

Hassan has the better serve once the ball is in play: more than five percentage points more behind his first serve and stronger break-point defence.

Sanchez-Izquierdo is the far better returner – 44% of return points against 39% – and lands ten percentage points more first serves.

They are level in deciding sets (55% each), but Hassan has the clear edge in tiebreaks (54% vs 46%).

Sanchez-Izquierdo has the ranking, the return and the form; Hassan has the first serve and the tiebreak record. Closer than the price.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricHassanSanchez-Izquierdo
Ranking497154
Age3127
Last 105–57–3
Head-to-head00
First serves in55.0%65.1%
1st-serve points won69.2%63.9%
2nd-serve points won50.3%49.5%
Break points saved58.3%56.8%
Break points converted41.6%46.3%
Return points won (career)39%44%
Tiebreak win %54%46%
Deciding-set win % (career)55%55%
Best-of-3 win %57%58%

See this match on Polymarket

Sumit Nagal vs Alejo Sanchez Quilez

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 13:00

🧠 Form & Context

Sumit Nagal

  • 📊 Ranked No. 281 at 29, 2–8 in his last 10.
  • 📉 Lost to Mikrut in the second round in Maia last week.
  • 🎾 Lands 67.9% of first serves.
  • 🏆 Wins 56% of tiebreaks.
  • ⚠️ Only 43% of deciding sets won this season.

Alejo Sanchez Quilez

  • 📈 Ranked No. 323 at 21, 6–4 in his last 10.
  • ✅ Reached the Maia semi-finals last week, beating Alcala Gurri, Nedic and Mikrut before losing to Piros.
  • 🔓 Converts 45.9% of break points.
  • 🏆 Excellent under pressure: 63% of tiebreaks and 62% of deciding sets won.
  • ⚠️ Second serve is the weaker side: 48.7% won.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A first meeting between India's Sumit Nagal and the 21-year-old Spaniard who reached the semi-finals in Maia last week.

Nagal puts far more first serves in play (67.9% vs 58.5%) and is better on the second ball. Behind the first serve they are almost level.

On return they are identical (43% of return points each), but Sanchez Quilez converts more of his break chances.

The tight-set numbers favour Sanchez Quilez clearly: 63% of tiebreaks and 62% of deciding sets against 56% and 48%.

Sanchez Quilez has the form and the clutch numbers; Nagal has the first-serve percentage and the experience. The favourite looks justified.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricNagalSanchez Quilez
Ranking281323
Age2921
Last 102–86–4
Head-to-head00
First serves in67.9%58.5%
1st-serve points won64.1%64.8%
2nd-serve points won50.5%48.7%
Break points saved56.6%57.6%
Break points converted43.8%45.9%
Return points won (career)43%43%
Tiebreak win %56%63%
Deciding-set win % (career)48%62%
Best-of-3 win %59%58%

See this match on Polymarket

Marco Trungelliti vs Tiago Pereira

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 13:00

🧠 Form & Context

Marco Trungelliti

  • 📊 World No. 90 at 36, 6–4 in his last 10.
  • ✅ Reached the Maia quarter-finals last week, losing to Passaro in a final-set tiebreak.
  • 🎾 Slightly ahead behind his first serve: 68.2% won.
  • 🏆 Strong closer – 61% of deciding sets won over his career.
  • ⚠️ Winning only 47% of recent matches.

Tiago Pereira

  • 🇵🇹 The home player: ranked No. 316 at 22, 5–5 in his last 10.
  • ⚔️ Beat Trungelliti 6–4 4–6 6–4 in Seville in September.
  • 🔓 Converts 44.3% of break points.
  • 🎾 Slightly better on the second serve: 50.1%.
  • ⚠️ Weak in tight sets: 47% of tiebreaks and 46% of deciding sets won.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A third meeting in just over a year: Trungelliti won easily in Braga in 2025, Pereira won in three sets in Seville last month. The Argentine is a heavy favourite at 1.16.

On serve there is almost nothing between them – 68.2% vs 67.3% on first-serve points – and both land around 57% of first serves.

Pereira converts break points more often, while Trungelliti is slightly the better returner overall.

The clear gap is under pressure: Trungelliti has won 61% of deciding sets against Pereira's 46%.

Trungelliti has the experience and the closing record; Pereira has the home crowd and a recent win. 1.16 looks short for a match this even.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricTrungellitiPereira
Ranking90316
Age3622
Last 106–45–5
Head-to-head11
First serves in57.8%57.2%
1st-serve points won68.2%67.3%
2nd-serve points won49.4%50.1%
Break points saved59.7%59.0%
Break points converted41.8%44.3%
Return points won (career)41%40%
Tiebreak win %51%47%
Deciding-set win % (career)61%46%
Best-of-3 win %59%56%

See this match on Polymarket

Francesco Passaro vs Gastao Elias

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 14:30

🧠 Form & Context

Francesco Passaro

  • 🏆 Fresh from winning the Maia title on Sunday, beating Piros in the final.
  • 🔥 World No. 146 at 25, unbeaten in his last 10.
  • 🎾 Lands 65.2% of first serves and wins 52% on second-serve points.
  • 🔒 Saving 63% of break points recently.
  • ⚠️ Tiebreaks have been a weak spot over his career (53%), though he won several in Maia.

Gastao Elias

  • 🇵🇹 The home veteran: currently unranked at 35, 4–6 in his last 10.
  • 🎯 Strong behind his first serve: 70% won over his career.
  • 🏆 Has won 59% of deciding sets over his career.
  • ⚠️ Winning only 33% of recent matches, and 20% of deciding sets this season.
  • 📏 Limited recent data available.

🔍 Match Breakdown

The Maia champion goes straight into another clay event a day after lifting the trophy. Passaro is a very heavy favourite at 1.11 against a home veteran who is currently unranked.

Elias still has a good first serve (70% won over his career), but his recent results have been poor.

Passaro's game is more complete: more first serves in, a better second serve and sharper recent break-point numbers.

The only question is fatigue after a long, demanding week in Maia that included three tiebreaks and three three-set matches.

Passaro has the form, the momentum and the all-round game. The favourite should come through.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricPassaroElias
Ranking146–
Age2535
Last 1010–04–6
Head-to-head00
First serves in65.2%54%
1st-serve points won68.3%70%
2nd-serve points won52.0%50%
Break points saved60.6%–
Break points converted41.5%43%
Return points won (career)40%41%
Tiebreak win %53%46%
Deciding-set win % (career)55%59%
Best-of-3 win %59%57%

See this match on Polymarket

Tiago Torres vs Andrej Martin

Lisbon Challenger · First Round · 20 October · 16:00

🧠 Form & Context

Tiago Torres

  • 🇵🇹 The home player: ranked No. 377 at 24, left-handed, 3–7 in his last 10.
  • 📉 Lost to Passaro in the first round in Maia last week.
  • 🔁 The better returner: 43% of return points won and 46.9% of break points converted.
  • 🏆 Wins 63% of tiebreaks.
  • ⚠️ Weak behind his serve: 54.2% first serves in, 45.8% on second-serve points.

Andrej Martin

  • 📈 Ranked No. 358 at 37, 6–4 in his last 10 and winning 64% of recent matches.
  • 📉 Lost to Sanchez-Izquierdo in the first round in Maia last week.
  • 🎾 The stronger serve: 61.8% first serves in, 48.9% on second, 57.4% of break points saved.
  • 🏆 Has won 91% of deciding sets this season.
  • ⚠️ Tiebreaks are a weak spot – 47% won.

🔍 Match Breakdown

A first meeting between a young Portuguese left-hander and the 37-year-old Slovak veteran. Torres is a narrow favourite at home.

Martin has the more reliable serve – almost eight percentage points more first serves in, and better on the second ball and on break points.

Torres is the better returner and converts more of his break chances (46.9% vs 43.7%).

The tight-set numbers split sharply: Torres has won 63% of tiebreaks, Martin an extraordinary 91% of deciding sets this season.

Martin has the serve and the form; Torres has the return, the lefty angle and the home crowd. Closer than the price suggests.

📊 Tale of the Tape

MetricTorresMartin
Ranking377358
Age2437
Last 103–76–4
Head-to-head00
First serves in54.2%61.8%
1st-serve points won65.2%65.7%
2nd-serve points won45.8%48.9%
Break points saved53.6%57.4%
Break points converted46.9%43.7%
Return points won (career)43%42%
Tiebreak win %63%47%
Deciding-set win % (career)55%57%
Best-of-3 win %55%58%

See this match on Polymarket

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Florence challenger 2026 (Italy) 20.10.26

The rest of the first round at the Florence Challenger on clay, with form, serve and return numbers and a full Tale of the Tape for every ...