Dominic Thiem won the Rio Open on his favorite surface of clay on Sunday, a victory which he hoped would jump-start his season after a slow start.
Thiem claimed his eighth ATP Tour singles title and his sixth on clay with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain.
“Of course it’s not easy,” said Thiem, who was due to fly to Acapulo, where six of the ATP Tour’s top 10 are playing. “I did the same last year and it worked out pretty well. It’s not the greatest preparation, but I hope I can make it one more time. The confidence is pretty high now. I feel great the way I’m playing.”
Photo: AP
The Austrian is ranked No. 8 and was seeded second in Rio, but he became the favorite as soon as top seed Kei Nishikori was beaten in the first round.
He won all five matches in Rio without dropping a set.
Thiem’s victory came on the night of the first of two parades at the Sambadrome, with another set for yesterday. He said he saw just a tiny bit of the carnival atmosphere, getting a look at one of hundreds of Rio block parties during the week.
“It was right on the street,” Thiem said of the party near his hotel. “It was pretty impressive.”
“Enjoy the rest of the carnival,” Thiem said as he accepted his trophy from three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten.
OPEN 13
AP, MARSEILLE, France
Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Sunday won a second title in as many weeks by defeating fellow Frenchman Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-4 in the Open 13 final in Marseille, France.
World No. 11 Tsonga put on a nearly flawless performance on his serve to win his 14th career ATP Tour title at the indoor event.
Tsonga hit seven aces, dropped only three points on his first serve and did not face a single break point.
“This is the second week in a row that I’m heading home without a loss, it does not happen so often,” said the 31-year-old, who completed his win in just over an hour. “It’s good for my confidence.”
The former Australian Open runner-up broke once in each set and added a third Open 13 trophy to his collection after victories in 2009 and 2013.
Tsonga captured the Rotterdam title the previous weekend to end a two-year trophy drought.
DELRAY BEACH OPEN
AFP, MIAMI
Jack Sock on Sunday claimed his second ATP Tour title of the season when top seed Milos Raonic withdrew before the Delray Beach Open final with a torn hamstring.
Raonic told the Tennis Channel he was hurt in his semi-final win over Juan Martin del Potro.
“I didn’t think much of it,” Raonic said. “I thought it was just tightness from the match, but this morning I woke up unable to walk properly and did quite extensive treatment with my team. We came down to the conclusion that it was a slight tear of the hamstring in my right leg.”
Sock, who also won in Auckland last month, called it “very unfortunate.”
“We’ve had a lot of good battles and I was looking forward to the challenge,” said Sock, who claimed a third career ATP Tour title. “I’d be a little more excited and full of energy if I had gone out and won it on court, but on the flip side, a title is a title.”
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