Adolfo Daniel Vallejo Álvarez, Paraguay’s current top-ranked tennis player, completed a dream week in Curitiba and crowned his great run with the title of the 75th Challenger held in the capital of Paraguay’s neighbouring Brazilian state of Paraná. Guarani star Dani Vallejo (21) defeated local favourite Pedro Boscardín Dias in a commanding 6-3, 7-5 victory in the final, securing his second career Challenger title.
A great achievement
The victory marks Dani Vallejo’s second Challenger title, following his breakthrough win in São Leopoldo, Brazil, on 31 March 2024, where he defeated Frenchman Enzo Couacaud 6-3, 6-2. That triumph ended a 15-year drought for Paraguayan tennis in the Challenger circuit, with Ramón Delgado’s title being the last before Vallejo’s emergence.
Now regarded as Paraguay’s third-greatest tennis player, behind only Víctor Pecci (the World’s number 9 in 1980) and Delgado (World’s number 52 in 1999), Vallejo earlier etched his name in history as the second Paraguayan to reach the world number 1 junior ranking in 2022, a feat previously achieved by Rossana de los Ríos in the 1990s.
Climbing the rankings
Vallejo, born in Asunción, is the new star of Paraguayan tennis. In 2021, he was the first Paraguayan player to win the Junior Orange Bowl in the United States, and only the second to reach the final after Pecci.
The Curitiba triumph has propelled Vallejo back into the world’s top 190, a significant leap driven by the points earned in this tournament, which far surpassed those he needed to defend. With only 13 points to be deducted for the remainder of 2025, and three or four tournaments still to play – including the Bolivarian Games in Peru from 1 to 7 December 2025 – Vallejo is well-positioned to further improve his ranking.
In the 2025 Race, which tracks performances in the current season, he now sits at the 187th place.
Dani Vallejo: Eyes on the Top 100
With his sights set on breaking into the world’s top 100, Vallejo’s recent performances signal his growing prowess on the global stage. His consistency, determination, and ability to defeat higher-ranked opponents in Curitiba underscore his potential to achieve this ambitious goal.
Recently, Paraguay’s Davis Cup team led by Vallejo, beat Pakistan. Because of this victory, the Paraguayan national tennis team is coming back into the qualifiers of World Group 1 for the first time in 20 years.
As Paraguay’s tennis fans celebrate their rising star, Vallejo’s journey continues to inspire, with the promise of more milestones to come in the remainder of the 2025 season. To follow his rise to the top, follow Dani Vallejo on Instagram.
