Pablo Carreño Busta Wins Montemar Challenger Final
Pablo Carreño Busta will face Pablo Llamas Ruiz in the final of the Montemar Challenger on March 29, 2026. Carreño Busta is seeking his second Challenger title of the year.
Carreño Busta has won 17 out of 24 matches across all competitions so far this season. He won a Challenger event in Murcia last week.
The only prior encounter between the two took place in the opening round of last year's US Open, with Carreño Busta winning in three sets.
Llamas Ruiz has played 19 matches across all tournaments so far this season, winning 13 of them. He has had an impressive run so far at the Montemar Challenger, having not dropped a single set en route to the final.
Carreño Busta started his run at the Montemar Challenger with a straight-set win but had to get past his other three matches in three sets. In the semifinals, he came back from a set down to defeat top seed Sebastian Ofner.
Carreño Busta has had a relatively better season so far and will enter the match as the favorite to win. He has won 147 out of 214 points on his serve so far during the tournament.
Llamas Ruiz's first-serve numbers so far in Alicante have been impressive, as he won 116 out of 156 points on it. His game borders around persistence and he can force his opponent into making unforced errors.
The match will be played on clay at the Club Atletico Montemar in Alicante, Spain. The prize money for the tournament is $160,680.
Carreño Busta will look to make the most out of his counterpunching skills but will also have to be careful not to produce too many unforced errors. He served 30 unforced errors in his last match.
The final will be streamed live on Challenger TV. Carreño Busta's experience should see him get the win, with the pick being Carreño Busta to win in three sets.
The match is expected to last three sets, with one set likely to go to a tiebreak. Carreño Busta's serve will be a key factor in the match, as will Llamas Ruiz's ability to force his opponent into making unforced errors.
The tournament has seen some exciting matches so far, with Carreño Busta and Llamas Ruiz being the last two players standing. The final promises to be an exciting match, with both players looking to win their first title of the year.
Carreño Busta is 34 years old, while Llamas Ruiz is 23. The age difference may play a factor in the match, with Carreño Busta's experience potentially giving him an edge.
The Montemar Challenger is an ATP Challenger Tour event, with the winner earning a significant amount of prize money and ranking points. The tournament has been played on clay, which has suited Carreño Busta's game so far.
Llamas Ruiz has been impressive in his run to the final, not dropping a single set. He will look to continue this form and win his first Challenger title since 2023.
The final will be a closely contested match, with both players having a good chance of winning. Carreño Busta's experience and skill may give him the edge he needs to win, but Llamas Ruiz's persistence and ability to force unforced errors may cause an upset.