ATLANTA, GA — August 2, 2025 - The return of Irina Falconi had all the makings of a storyline finish. The former WTA pro and INTENNSE’s first-ever Challenge Team coach was back at the helm, the only one to ever take down a full-time roster. Could she summon the same magic again?

On the other side, Team Tampa entered Saturday’s 2 p.m. Dual with growing confidence. After notching their first win the weekend prior, the group was hungry to prove it wasn’t a one-off. By the end of the afternoon, they did just that, handling adversity and outplaying the Challenge Team from start to finish with a 220 to 193 victory.

Things didn’t start smoothly for Tampa. Trey Mallory was ruled out with food poisoning hours before the match. Danijal Muminovic got the call, literally just 90 minutes before first serve, while attending a charity event. Then, Quinn Gleason, a top-70 WTA doubles player, barely made it in after a canceled flight. Still, the lineup came together at the last moment, and what unfolded inside the INTENNSE Arena was some of Tampa’s best tennis all season.

As usual, Women’s Singles set the tone.

Victoria Flores and Seone Mendez continued their undefeated run with a dominant opening performance. The pair stormed out in the first Bolt and never looked back, outscoring the Challenge Team 73 to 58 and giving Tampa a 15-point cushion early.

In Men’s Singles, the Challenge Team responded. Tyler Stice played solidly in the early Bolts before Keshav Chopra brought them back into it in the final segment. His closing stretch gave the Challenge Team a 65 to 61 win in Men’s Singles and cut Tampa’s lead to 134 to 123 heading into Doubles.

But once Doubles began, it was all Tampa, and the debut of Gleason was a spark.

“I love the format. I think it’s just what tennis needs. It brings the energy, excitement—just having so much fun out here playing,” Gleason said. “It’s also a great opportunity for pros like me who have some off weekends from tournaments. To fill those gaps in the schedule really helps financially.”

Gleason joined Flores in Women’s Doubles, while Noori Adam anchored the Mixed. Together, the team delivered a decisive 86 to 70 performance in Doubles to shut the door on any late Challenge Team rally.

“This format really emphasizes having to reset really quick,” said Sam Frizelle. “Whatever happens, just be ready for the next point and give it your best, and that’s what we did today.”

Frizelle also acknowledged the role Muminovic played in the win. “He came in and was cheering like he was part of the team for the whole season. He did a really good job when we asked him to step in. He took an Uber here for an hour drive and showed up for us today. So a huge thank you and a lot of respect to him.”

With another strong showing from Flores and Mendez, the steady guidance of Labat, and new firepower in Gleason, Tampa has found its rhythm. The chemistry and cohesion are beginning to show.

“I think I’ve said this before—I’m pretty sure we have the most fun team here,” Flores joked. “Our group chat is averaging 200 messages a day or more, so I think it really shows on court.”