Five Peruvian tennis players are set to compete at the Challenger Ciudad de Guayaquil 2026, an ATP Challenger 75 tournament running on outdoor clay courts at the Guayaquil Tenis Club in Ecuador. The competition runs from October 25 to November 1, 2026, continuing a historic South American circuit tradition born in 2005. Past tournament champions include Nicolás Lapentti in 2007 and 2009, Sergio Roitman in 2006 and 2008, Leonardo Mayer in 2012 and 2013, Alejandro Tabilo in 2021 and 2023, Daniel Altmaier in 2022, Federico Gómez in 2024, and Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, who claimed the title in 2025. The tournament’s top three seeds are all from Argentina: Román Burruchaga, Camilo Ugo Carabelli, and Francisco Comesaña.
Main Draw Campaign Begins for Varillas and Bueno
Varillas is at No. 200 in the ATP rankings and Bueno at No. 183. Varillas faces Mexican competitor Rodrigo Pacheco in the opening round, a pairing that pits two players with extensive Challenger experience against each other. A second-round match could pit Varillas against either tournament wildcard Nicolás Jarry or Hugo Dellien of Bolivia. For Gonzalo Bueno, the tournament marks a return to official competition following his physical preparation period and withdrawal from the Copa Ciudad de Tigre at the end of September, where he now seeks to regain competitive rhythm and advance on the Challenger circuit.
Bueno Faces Barrena in Singles Before Partnering in Doubles
Gonzalo Bueno opens his singles campaign against Argentina’s Álex Barrena in a matchup that carries a unique scheduling twist. The two competitors will also join forces as a doubles pair, opening their team competition against the Brazilian tandem of Pedro Boscardin Dias and João Reis da Silva. Should Bueno defeat Barrena in singles, he could meet Carlos María Zárate or a qualifier in the second round. Bueno arrives at the tournament after reaching the second round in 2025, where he fell to Argentina’s Luciano Ambrogi 6-2 and 6-1.
Rubini and Huertas Del Pino Enter Qualifying Rounds
Alessandro Rubini secured a wildcard into the qualifying draw, where he meets second-seeded Argentine Lucio Ratti on the main court at the Guayaquil Tenis Club. Alessandro Rubini has become the second Peruvian currently in the ITF junior ranking Top 100. If Rubini wins his opener, he will face the winner of the match between Argentina’s Mateo Del Pino and Brazil’s Wilson Leite. Arklon Huertas del Pino enters the qualifying tournament as the 10th seed and plays Italian competitor Lorenzo Claverie on the Raúl Viver court starting at 10:00 a.m. local time. Each qualifier must win two matches to reach the main draw, which begins on Monday, October 26. If Huertas del Pino advances, he will face the winner of the match between Dutchman Ryan Nijboer and Argentine Mariano Kestelboim.
Peruvian Players Form Doubles Pairs with Compatriots and Foreigners
Beyond the singles competition, Peruvian representation extends into the doubles bracket. Huertas del Pino teams up with compatriot Alexander Merino as the sixth-seeded pair in the tournament, drawing top seeds Diego Hidalgo of Ecuador and Argentina’s Mariano Kestelboim in their opener. Meanwhile, Bueno and Barrena form a cross-border duo.
Points Defense and Ranking Implications in Ecuador
Juan Pablo Varillas arrives in Ecuador carrying the weight of defending ranking points from his runner-up finish at the 2025 Guayaquil tournament, where he fell in the final to Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo. Varillas enters the event following a first-round exit at the Challenger de Antofagasta against Felipe Meligeni Alves. Gonzalo Bueno returns to official tour action after pausing his schedule following his withdrawal from the Copa Ciudad de Tigre in late September.
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