Open Sud de France—Montpellier, France
No. 2 seed Lucas Pouille captured his fifth career ATP World Tour title on Sunday in Montpellier, France, defeating No. 5 seed Richard Gasquet 7-6(2), 6-4. Needing 86 minutes to defeat his opponent for the fourth straight time, Pouille struck 10 aces and won 77 percent of his first serve points. Breaking serve on one occasion, Pouille never lost his own delivery during the encounter.
Gasquet, who was in search of his 15th career title, was appearing in his sixth straight final in Montpellier, and was aiming to win his fourth title at the Open Sud de France.
*****
Diema Xtra Sofia Open—Sofia, Bulgaria
Mirza Basic won his maiden ATP World Tour title on Sunday in Sofia, Bulgaria, defeating Marius Copil 7-6(6), 6-7(4), 6-4. Using his serve to great effect, Basic struck 12 aces and withstood 19 aces by Copil during the two hour and 18 minute affair. Entering the event as a qualifier, the 26-year-old defeated the likes of top seed Stan Wawrinka and Phillip Kohlschreiber along the way to his first-ever title.
Copil, who was also appearing in his first Tour final, defeated No. 3 seed Gilles Muller earlier in the week.
*****
Ecuador Open—Quito, Ecuador
Roberto Carballes Baena kept the streak of first-time winners on the ATP World Tour alive on Sunday after he dismissed No. 2 seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in Quito, Ecuador. In a baseline duel that lasted two hours and 25 minutes, Carballes Baena won an impressive 81 percent of his first serve points, while breaking his countryman on three occasions.
Carballes Baena, who is currently ranked No. 107 in the world, had previously only won 13 main Tour matches in his career.
Ramos-Vinolas, who was the much more accomplished of the two players, failed to win the second title of his career. Ramos-Vinolas is currently ranked No. 21 in the world.
