ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP)—Top seed David Ferrer of Spain has defeated compatriot Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-2 to defend his Mexican Open title on Saturday.
It is Ferrer’s 11th career title and second Mexican Open, after winning the same event here last year, and extends his career head-to-head record to 6-0 against Almagro.
“I didn’t think I could win here twice in a row and I realize I am having the best season start of my career this year,” said Ferrer. “I hope I can continue like that this season.”
Ferrer converted the first six break points he earned in the final and was only denied his seventh when Almagro made a clutch forehand that landed on the line to save a match point in the seventh game of the third set.
In contrast, Almagro could only make four of 13 break chances.
“It was a very intense match with a lot of rallies in the first and second set; we played a lot of great points,” reflected Ferrer.
“In the third (set), I think I was better physically and he started making more mistakes.”
Ferrer has started the season with 14 wins from 16 matches, a record that includes titles in Auckland and Acapulco, and a semi-final run at the Australian Open.
Almagro, the third seed, came into the final on the back of a 13-match winning streak after claiming titles in Argentina and Brazil in the past two weeks.
He was also bidding to become the first player to win three of the four events on the ATP Tour’s Latin American clay-court season.
Several others have won two of the tournaments in the last decade, including Juan Carlos Ferrero, Tommy Robredo, Rafael Nadal, Gaston Gaudio and Gustavo Kuerten. Four of them are also French Open champions.
“I am disappointed right now that I couldn’t close this first set, maybe things would have been different,” Almagro said.
“It’s been an unbelievable South American swing for me. I played nonstop for three weeks at a very high level and I know I need to be proud and happy about it.”
On the women’s side of the joint ATP-WTA event, Gisela Dulko of Argentina defeated Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 6-3, 7-6 (5) in the final.
It was Dulko’s fourth WTA title. Parra Santonja has now played in two finals and is still looking for her first title.