World No. 4 David Ferrer retained his Buenos Aires Open title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win over Stanislas Wawrinka on Sunday.
The Spaniard took his tally of career titles to 20 after winning his third final in four years on the clay center court at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.
“It’s very hard to obtain two titles from one year to the next. Tennis is smiling on me and I’m happy for that,” the 30-year-old said in a courtside interview. “I’ve always preferred even numbers to odd ones, but I never thought I’d reach a figure like this on the ATP [Tour].
Photo: AFP
“It’s been a great week for me and I must recognize that David is a great champion,” Swiss Wawrinka, ranked 17th, said after receiving the runners-up trophy.
It was a fifth consecutive Spanish win in Buenos Aires after victories for Tommy Robredo in 2009, Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2010 and Nicolas Almagro in 2011. David Nalbandian was Argentina’s last winner in 2008.
MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL
Reuters
Japan’s Kei Nishikori wrapped up a straight sets win over Feliciano Lopez to win the Memphis International on Sunday.
Nishikori breezed to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lopez in a match that lasted just 67 minutes, not much longer than his outing on Saturday, when he advanced to the final after Marinko Matosevic was forced to retire with a foot injury following the first set.
A well-rested Nishikori broke Lopez’s service twice in the opening set to move ahead 4-1, then took control in the second by opening with another break.
“I’m very happy with the way I played,” Nishikori told reporters. “To win this title is an amazing feeling. Hopefully, I can win a couple more titles. It’s been a good start to the year.”
It was the third career title for Nishikori, who also won the Japan Open in Tokyo in October last year to become the first Japanese player to win on home soil.
Lopez never recovered from a rough start and missed a chance for his first win since 2010.
“He was very aggressive from the beginning,” Lopez said. “I have no regrets. I tried everything I could and he was just the better player today.”
COPO BOGOTA
AFP, BOGOTA
Serbian top seed Jelena Jankovic won the US$235,000 WTA tournament in Bogota on Sunday with a routine 6-1, 6-2 dismissal of unseeded Argentine Paula Ormaechea.
Former world No. 1 Jankovic, now ranked 24 in the world, landed her 13th career title, but first of the season after outclassing her 198th-ranked opponent.
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