Mark Lajal rallied from a set down to defeat Bu Yunchaokete 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 in the ATP Challenger Lincoln (NE) men's singles final, relying on a dominant serving performance and clutch play in the deciding tiebreak. Lajal fired 12 aces to Yunchaokete's one and saved three of six break points (50%), while Yunchaokete failed to save any of his three break points faced.
The first set saw Yunchaokete take charge with breaks in games 2, 4, and 6 (at 0-2, 1-3, 1-5), though Lajal broke back twice but couldn't hold serve. Lajal dominated the second set, breaking in games 1, 3, 5, and 7 (at 1-0, 3-0, 4-1, 6-1) while conceding only one break. The final set was a rollercoaster with 10 breaks of serve; Yunchaokete moved ahead 5-2 and served for the match at 5-3, but Lajal broke back, forced a tiebreak, and edged it to seal the comeback.
Lajal's 12 aces were a decisive factor—he won 30 of 40 first-serve points (75%) and an efficient 61% of second-serve return points (21/34). Despite a low first-serve percentage (51%), his firepower and resilience on key points earned him the win in just under two and a half hours.