Quinn Celebrates Birthday with Phoenix Challenger Win

Americans Giron and Quinn advance to quarterfinals in contrasting fashion

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:36am

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Americans Marcos Giron and Ethan Quinn took different paths to the quarterfinals of the Arizona Tennis Classic, an ATP Challenger 175 event in Phoenix. Giron dramatically fended off four match points to defeat qualifier Jay Friend, while the eighth-seeded Quinn raced past Michael Mmoh on his 22nd birthday.

Why it matters

The Arizona Tennis Classic is an important ATP Challenger event, providing opportunities for up-and-coming American players like Giron and Quinn to gain valuable experience and ranking points on the professional tour.

The details

Giron, the seventh seed, trailed 3/6 in the deciding-set tiebreaker against Friend before saving three consecutive match points and eventually winning the match. Meanwhile, the birthday boy Quinn cruised past Mmoh in straight sets. In other results, two-time champion Nuno Borges and third seed Adrian Mannarino also advanced to the quarterfinals.

  • Giron and Quinn competed in the quarterfinals of the Arizona Tennis Classic on Thursday, March 13, 2026.
  • Quinn celebrated his 22nd birthday on the day of his victory.

The players

Marcos Giron

The seventh-seeded American player who dramatically fended off four match points to defeat qualifier Jay Friend.

Ethan Quinn

The eighth-seeded American player who celebrated his 22nd birthday with a straight-sets victory over Michael Mmoh.

Nuno Borges

The No. 49 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, a two-time champion who overcame James Duckworth to advance to the quarterfinals.

Adrian Mannarino

The third-seeded player who beat Blaise Bicknell in three sets to reach the quarterfinals.

Jay Friend

The qualifier who pushed Giron to a third-set tiebreaker before ultimately falling.

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What they’re saying

“My girlfriend put this 'Happy Birthday' [sign] and my mom made a 'Happy Birthday' in the hotel. We had to celebrate a little bit for at least the first 10 minutes of this morning.”

— Ethan Quinn

“I guess it took me a little bit to find my rhythm, put more returns in. He served pretty well and made my life very hard from the start. I feel like I grew with the match as it went on, stayed well physically and I think that made a big difference for me, just to stay available and keep pushing and wait for my opportunity.”

— Nuno Borges, No. 49 player in the PIF ATP Rankings

What’s next

Giron will next face Nuno Borges, the two-time champion, in the quarterfinals.

The takeaway

The Arizona Tennis Classic is providing a platform for up-and-coming American players like Giron and Quinn to showcase their talents and gain valuable experience on the professional tour, with Giron and Quinn both advancing to the quarterfinals in contrasting fashion.