Who did Mili Poljičak play in the semifinals?

In the semifinals of the ATP Challenger in San Marino, he defeated 30-year-old Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 7-5, 6-4.

Who will Poljičak face in the final?

His final opponent will be the winner of the match between top seed Facundo Diaz Acosta and third seed Vilius Gaubas.

How much will Poljičak rise in the ATP rankings if he wins the tournament?

According to Sportklub, winning the title would see him jump from 352nd to 203rd in the ATP rankings, which would be a career-best.

Has Poljičak won Challenger titles before?

Yes, this is his fourth final, and his only title so far came this spring at the Split Open.

Tennis

Poljičak Reaches Final in San Marino, Aims for Historic Breakthrough

T.E. · 02. 08. 2026. | 2 min

The young Split native outplayed his Peruvian opponent in the semifinals and will compete on Sunday for the biggest trophy of his career and his best ATP ranking.

Summary

Mili Poljičak (22) reached the final of the ATP Challenger 125 in San Marino with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Juan Pablo Varillas.
Poljičak came through qualifying to reach the final, eliminating the 4th and 5th seeds along the way.
Reaching the final guarantees a jump to approximately 259th in the ATP rankings, while a win would take him to 203rd, a career-best.

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Mili Poljičak, a Croatian tennis player, has advanced to the final of the ATP Challenger 125 in San Marino. In Saturday's semifinal, the 22-year-old from Split, currently ranked 352nd in the world, defeated 30-year-old Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas (ATP - 274) with a score of 7-5, 6-4, as reported by HRT.

Poljičak's path to the final is even more impressive given that he started the tournament in the qualifying rounds. In the main draw, according to Dalmacija News, he eliminated the 4th and 5th seeds, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Alexandre Muller.

Comebacks and Match Statistics

In the semifinal, Poljičak showed character, overcoming deficits in both sets. According to Sportklub, he trailed 5-3 in the first set and 3-1 in the second, yet still won in straight sets. During the match, he converted four of 13 break opportunities, while his opponent converted both of his break points.

Fourth Final and Chance for the Biggest Trophy

This is Poljičak's fourth final on the Challenger Tour. He lost the first two - in Zagreb in 2022 and in Targu Mures, Romania, in 2025. He converted his third final, on home soil in Split, into a title. The San Marino tournament has a higher category (125) than the one in Split (50), so a victory on Sunday would bring him the most valuable trophy of his career.

Opponent and ATP Ranking Jump

In the final, scheduled for Sunday, Poljičak will face the winner of the match between the top seed, Argentine Facundo Diaz Acosta (ATP - 107), and the third seed, Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas (ATP - 128).

By simply reaching the final, Poljičak has secured a significant jump in the ATP rankings. According to Sportklub, he will rise from 352nd to approximately 259th place. If he wins the title, he would break into the top 203, which would be his career-best ranking. HRT, on the other hand, notes that winning the trophy could result in a jump of about 150 positions.