Garcia-Lopez Defeats Marcel Granollers to Win This Year’s Grand Prix Hassan II Title

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez is back to his old winning ways…

The 30-year-old Spanish tennis player claimed his first title in nearly four years after rallying to defeat his compatriot Marcel Granollers at the Grand Prix Hassan II on Sunday.

After losing the first set, Garcia-Lopez stormed back to take the next two sets in the all-Spanish final on the clay court in Casablanca, Morocco. The final score: 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Garcia-Lopez’s previous title was on indoor hard courts in Bangkok in 2010, and he’d lost his matched in the previous two finals in which he competed — last year on clay at Bucharest, Romania and on indoor hard courts at St. Petersburg, Russia.

Granollers, who was hoping to win his fifth career title, dropped his serve five times and was less consistent. He won only 60 percent of his first-serve points compared to 76 percent for Garcia-Lopez, who won their only previous meeting in the second round of the same tournament in 2010.

Garcia-Lopez continued the recent dominance of his countrymen at the tournament, becoming the fourth different Spaniard to win in the past six years after Tommy Robredo (2013), Pablo Andujar (2011 and 2012) and former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero (2009).

This is the third singles title of Garcia-Lopez’s career.

Bellucci Reaches Quarterfinals at the Brazil Open

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Thomaz Bellucci is making a statement at his home tournament…

The 26-year-old Brazilian tennis player continued to feed off his home crowd Thursday, defeating Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Brazil Open.

Bellucci, a wild card in the tournament, broke Haider-Maurer’s serve early in the third set and held on to close the match in 2 hours, 36 minutes at the Ibirapuera arena.

Bellucci, currently ranked 108th, will now play Martin Klizan of Slovakia, who upset third-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain 6-4, 6-3.

Meanwhile, fourth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina reached the quarterfinals with a marathon 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-5 victory over Albert Ramos of Spain in nearly three hours. He will face Paolo Lorenzi of Italy, who cruised past win Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-4, 6-3.

Top-seeded Tommy Haas will play his quarterfinal match against 116th-ranked Horacio Zeballos of Argentina on Friday.

Bellucci Defeats Santiago Giraldo to Advance in the Brazil Open

Posted on February 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

He may be playing on a wild card at the Brazil Open… But Thomaz Bellucci is proving he’s worth the spot.

The 26-year-old Brazilian tennis player pulled off an upset win over Santiago Giraldo, defeating the Colombian – the tournament’s eight seed – 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to reach the second round of the Brazil Open.

The home-crowd favorite broke Giraldo’s serve to go up 4-2 in the final set, then held on to close out the match in just over two hours at the Ibirapuera arena. The break came right after Giraldo called for treatment on his lower back in between games.

Belluci, ranked No. 108 in the world, had six aces, including three in the decisive set.

“I couldn’t hold on to a 3-0 lead in the first set but I started playing better after that,” Bellucci said. “It makes a big difference to be playing at home with the support of the fans. They got behind me and I got to play more aggressively toward the end. It made a huge difference.”

Bellucci beat Giraldo in three sets last week at the Rio Open. He’ll next face Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer in the second round.

But Belluci isn’t the only Latino playing well in the tournament…

Earlier Tuesday, Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva defeated sixth-seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in 2 hours, 17 minutes. Albert Montanes of Spain beat Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia 6-2, 6-2, while Federico Delbonis of Argentina defeated Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-1, 6-2.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal is not playing at the clay-court tournament this year. He won the Rio Open last week.

Second-seeded Nicolas Almagro of Spain will play Delbonis, while third-seeded Marcel Granollers plays Martin Klizan of Slovakia.

Argentina’s Juan Monaco, who had a bye in the first round along with the other top seeds, debuts against countrymen Guido Pella.

Marrero & Verdasco Take Down the Bryan Brothers to Clinch ATP World Tour Finals Doubles Title

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

The first time’s the charm for David Marrero and Fernando Verdasco…

Following their unexpected win in the semifinals at their first-ever ATP World Tour Finals, the Spanish tenistas upset the top-seeded Bryan brothers to win the doubles title at the O2 Arena.

The sixth seeds had never even qualified for the year-end tournament before and had lost all three of their previous matches against the world No 1 partnership. But they triumphed in a stellar match 7-5 6-7 (3-7) 10-7.

They saved four set points in the first set, Verdasco recovering from 0-40 down at 4-5, and the left-hander, still one of the most dangerous customers on the singles circuit, was the key man in a gripping contest.

In the next game, Mike Bryan double faulted at 15/30 to gift two break point opportunities to Marrero and Verdasco. He saved the first with a fine backhand crosscourt winner, but Verdasco clinched the game when his stinging forehand was too much for Bob Bryan, who could only volley long.

And the Spaniards clinched the next game to win the first set.

Verdasco’s forehand, one of the most devastating and feared shots on the men’s tour, got the Spaniards out of trouble time and time again. But the American twins – who had won the title three times before – hit back to level it up by winning the second set on the tiebreak.

There was just one mini-break in the deciding Champions tiebreak and it was set up by another sensational Verdasco forehand down-the-line winner.

On match point Bob Bryan could only chip a Verdasco serve long and the sixth seeds could celebrate becoming the third all-Spanish pair to win the title after Juan Gisbert and Manuel Orantes in 1975 and last year’s champions Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.

The Bryans finished No 1 for a fifth straight year and a record ninth time overall. They have won 11 titles this season, including the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.

Granollers Claims bet-at-home Cup Title…

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Marcel Granollers’ title drought is officially over…

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Argentina’s Juan Monaco 0-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 in the bet-at-home Cup final in Austria to claim his first title since beating Monaco two years ago in Valencia, Spain.

Granollers had to overcome a slow start Saturday to win his fourth ATP title.

“It’s a very special feeling to win here,” said the 53rd-ranked Granollers, who had failed to go beyond the quarterfinals of an event this season.

Granollers ended Robin Haase‘s two-year winning run in Kitzbuehel in the semifinals.

Monaco was seeking his ninth career title and second of the year, after winning in May in Duesseldorf, Germany.

The 31st-ranked Monaco, who won here in 2007, dictated the pace in the opening set with strong forehands from the baseline, sending Granollers from one corner to the other.

Monaco broke Granollers’ first service game with a winner off the net cord and added two more breaks to take the opening set in 23 minutes.

“I didn’t play well at all in the beginning. He was very solid from the start,” said Granollers, who won only nine points in the set. “When you’re close to winning a title, you get nervous.”

Granollers saved two more break points early in the second set, helping him settle down. He broke at the first opportunity to lead 5-3.

“He had chances in the second set as well, and I was lucky he couldn’t take them,” Granollers said. “From then on it became a different match.”

Granollers had a 4-0 lead in the deciding set. He missed three match points at 5-2, but converted at the fourth chance on Monaco’s serve when the Argentine sent a backhand volley long.

“Marcel deserved to win,” Monaco said. “In the end, he just played better than me.”

He’s the first Spanish winner since Alex Corretja in 2002 and improved to 4-2 in career finals.

Granollers Beats Robin Haase to Reach the bet-at-home Cup Finals

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Marcel Granollers has taken down the champion at the bet-at-home Cup

The 27-year-old Spanish tennis player ended defending champion Robin Haase‘s two-year unbeaten streak at the bet-at-home Cup in a hard-fought semifinal on Friday, setting up a final against second-seeded Juan Monaco.

Granollers, the tournament’s eighth seed, beat Haase 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-4. The Dutchman was 12-0 at the event going into the match, having won the title in 2011 and 2012. In the other semifinal, Monaco defeated seventh-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain 7-6 (2), 7-5.

Granollers took the first set against Haase with flawless attacking play in the tiebreaker after both players held serve throughout.

Early in the second, Haase managed the first break against Granollers but dropped his own serve the next game. Haase added another break for 4-3 and the Dutchman won five straight games to take the set and lead 2-0 in the third.

Haase missed two break points for 3-0, lost five of the next seven games before serving a double-fault on match point.

Granollers has gone beyond the quarterfinals of an ATP event for the first time this season. The 53rd-ranked Spaniard is looking for his fourth career title and first since beating Monaco in the final at Valencia two years ago.

Granollers is 2-1 against Monaco, although the Argentine won their only previous clay-court match in straight sets in 2008.

Granollers & Lopez Claim First ATP World Tour Finals Doubles Title

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez have claimed their first ATP World Tour Finals doubles title…

The 26-year-old and 30-year-old Spaniards beat India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna 7-5 3-6 10-3 in a dramatic final at the O2 Arena to win the title.

“We finished here winning the title, so it’s incredible for us. We try to play as best as we can always; I think we have very good relationship. So, I think, that’s one of the key of our success,” said Granollers after the victory. “Marc is one of my best friends. To win here with him is very special. Thanks to the ATP for a great tournament and to Barclays for supporting our sport.”

In their debut as a team at the year-end tournament, Granollers and Lopez – the first Spanish duo to play at the ATP World Tour Finals since Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez in 1994 – became the first Spaniards to win the coveted trophy since Juan Gisbert and Manuel Orantes in 1975.

“It’s always tough playing them,” said Bhupathi. “They’re not a conventional doubles team. They make it very, very difficult in more ways than one, no matter who they play. We were expecting that. We fought hard to stay in the match. [We] got ourselves again into a match tiebreak. This time I think we just played a bad tiebreak. That sums it up.”

It’s the third title of the year for the Spaniards, seeded sixth out of the eight doubles teams at the ATP World Tour Finals. They also won in Rome and Gstaad.

The pair, who ends the season with a career-high ranking of No. 6 in the world, will next compete for Spain in next week’s Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic in Prague.

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