> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://deep-dive-tennis.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Portugal's Rocha keeps fighting for a Top 100 berth as he outstays Monteiro in Lisbon - URL: https://deep-dive-tennis.ghost.io/portugals-rocha-keeps-fighting-for-a-top-100-berth-as-he-outstays-monteiro-in-lisbon/ - Published: 2026-10-21T16:55:51.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-25T08:53:09.000Z - Author: Jake Davies - Tags: Henrique Rocha, Rocha, Portuguese tennis, Portugal, Top 100, ATP rankings, Lisbon, Lisbon Challenger, Tennis, Mens tennis, Challenger tennis The last twelve months for **Henrique Rocha** has been a sign of huge progress and it has been a breath of fresh air for Portuguese fans to see another one of their players potentially be on the cusp of entering the Top 100 of the ATP rankings for the first time. Previously only eight Portuguese male players have achieved this feat of being a Top 100 player which emphasises what the achievement is for Portugal and for Rocha himself. A second round match in Lisbon against Brazil's **Thiago Monteiro** is not a particularly easy draw. Rocha and Monteiro battled it out in the semi-finals of the Brasilia Challenger earlier in the year which ended with the Portuguese claiming the title that week before going on to win nine matches in a row ending in the final of Santiago, Chile. That run of wins is what has played a big part in Rocha being in this position this week. In today's encounter the Portuguese was able to once again get the better of Monteiro but it was not without its controversy, some periods of high quality tennis and nearly as hard-fought as their battle in South America. I will try my best to break down how the match travelled and how Rocha prevailed for a second time. Throughout most of the encounter, Rocha was doing a very good job of protecting the backhand and I do not mean so much keeping it isolated as if it was not part of any sort of rally conversation, but he was keeping balls in court and limiting unforced errors the best he could. This can be viewed in this game at 2-2 where Rocha eventually gets the break and does what he can with his weaker shot and then forces the Brazilian to anxiously overplay into problems. 0:00 /0:27 1× Example of Rocha protecting his weaker wing to frustrate Monteiro (via ATP Challenger TV) While this was taking place quite regularly in phases of the first set, Rocha was also getting more out of the serve, specifically the kick serve. The Portuguese is not someone that possesses a huge weapon from the service line or will naturally win matches from the serve alone, but he has been renowned during his short time on tour of having a very attackable second serve to prey on and he did a good job of finding ways to alleviate that in this set through the effectiveness of his kicker. This was demonstrated when serving the first set out. 0:00 /0:07 1× Rocha utilised his kick serve well in important moments of the set. (via ATP Challenger TV) Monteiro found himself at a set and break behind after being broken in the very first game of the second set, but he loosened up considerably from that position and started to secure the patterns that he desires specifically for a clay court like this one in Lisbon. The Brazilian's patterns is naturally utilise the lefty advantages he has to great effect and then try to create winners off his heavy top-spin forehand. The biggest change really came from Monteiro's width quality going into Rocha's backhand being much better and Rocha was struggling to survive for a short while as a result. 0:00 /0:09 1× Monteiro gaining confidence in second set to level the match (via ATP Challenger TV) The momentum shifts in this dramatic matchup was not to conclude there. Monteiro salvaged the first break of the third set but everything altered at \*2-1 when he was facing break point. The Brazilian struck a overhead that the line umpire perceived to be long. Monteiro complained for several minutes about the accuracy of the line call and was unhappy that the ball mark was wiped away by Rocha before it was even checked. Monteiro was broken as a result and then mentally deteriorated off the back of it. 0:00 /0:16 1× The controversial line call that changed the direction of the 3rd set. (via ATP Challenger TV) That essentially was where the match was won and lost, as Monteiro proceeded to revert to the frailties of the first set, overpressing, erratic on routine groundstrokes and self-destructing in areas of the court that were unbelievably advantageous for him. Even though Rocha generally was in situations in points where it did not benefit him with the backhand being put under duress, at this point it was irrelevant. Rocha prioritised balls in court by all means necessary and it was more than enough to be the victor. 0:00 /0:09 1× One of the two key points in the 4-3 game in which Rocha broke. (via ATP Challenger TV) 0:00 /0:08 1× The second of two key points in which Rocha broke in the 3rd set (via ATP Challenger TV) The Portuguese rolled away in the next game with three unreturnable serves and confidently finished the job at hand. Three wins away from the Lisbon Challenger title, and potentially so much more....