TENNIS NEWS • DEL POTRO TRIUMPHS IN ACAPULCO, FOGNINI LIFTS SAO PAULO TROPHY

Written by: Staff on 4th March 2018

TENNIS NEWS • DEL POTRO TRIUMPHS IN ACAPULCO, FOGNINI LIFTS SAO PAULO TROPHY

epa06579733 Italian Fabio Fognini poses with a champion trophy after winning against Chilean Nicolas Jarry during the Men's Singles final match at the ATP 250 tournament 2018 Brasil Open, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 04 March 2018. EPA-EFE/SEBASTIAO MOREIRA |

Italian Fabio Fognini poses with a champion trophy after winning against Chilean Nicolas Jarry during the Men’s Singles final match at the ATP 250 tournament 2018 Brasil Open, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 04 March 2018. EPA-EFE/SEBASTIAO MOREIRA

Del Potro triumphs in Acapulco, Fognini lifts Sao Paulo trophy

By Ricky Dimon

Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina holds a trophy after his victory over South African Kevin Anderson during their Mexico Open tennis tournament finals match in Acapulco, Mexico, 03 March 2018. EPA-EFE/JOSE MENDEZ

Juan Martin Del Potro captured the 21st title of his career and his biggest since 2013 when he cruised past Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Saturday. Del Potro struck 12 aces and did not face a single break point while prevailing in one hour and 40 minutes.

Both veterans held serve easily in the early stages before the match’s lone turning point came in the seventh game of the first set. Anderson led 40-15 while serving at 3-3 in the first set, but Del Potro stormed back to break for a 4-3 advantage. The 2009 U.S. Open champion never looked back the rest of the way, holding twice more to clinch the opening frame of play before breaking again at 1-1 in the second–when Anderson took a nasty a fall and appeared to tweak his left knee.

Del Potro had no trouble consolidating it to the finish line, surrendering only five service points in the whole second set.

“It’s a very special tournament to me,” the Argentine assured. “I beat three top 10 guys in the same tournament, which is very important for myself. I’m so glad to win my 21st title playing in Acapulco.”

“I can take a lot of confidence going into Indian Wells and Miami–two tournaments I really enjoy playing,” Anderson said. “I feel like I’m playing really good tennis. As always, I’ll pick myself up. I’ll try to learn as much as I can from tonight’s match.”

Del Potro and Anderson will now head to Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open–the first Masters 1000 tournament of 2018. They will be among the favorites with Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and others sidelined due to injuries. Roger Federer is the defending champion, favorite, and top seed.

Fabio Fognini also heads to the desert on a wave of momentum after wrapping up the Golden Swing with a title at the Brasil Open. Fognini recovered from a slow start to beat first-time finalist Nicolas Jarry 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

“I think he started very well,” Fognini said of Jarry. “He had nothing to lose. Even though I lost the first set easily, I kept fighting and this was important, because it was a final…. This is a great start to the season and very similar to 2014 (started 17-4 that year). I worked hard in the off-season and it’s nice to be playing well. I will continue to work and there’s two big tournaments coming up now in Indian Wells and Miami.”

“I always work to reach higher and higher, to be the best version of myself,” Jarry said. “Now I am getting good results. I hope to keep going up. I think I can give more, much more. I made some mistakes during the tournament, but moving forward, I’ll try to minimize this and try to win my first ATP title.”