Almagro to meet Ferrer in Mexican Open final
Spaniards Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer both won Friday to advance to the final of the Mexican Open, where Almagro will be trying to capture his third straight ATP title.
- Associated Press
- Updated: February 26, 2011 06:23 PM IST
Spaniards Nicolas Almagro and David Ferrer both won Friday to advance to the final of the Mexican Open, where Almagro will be trying to capture his third straight ATP title.
Almagro, the No. 3 seed, beat Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 7-6 (4), 6-4 in the semifinals for his 13th straight victory.
Almagro won titles in Argentina and Brazil the last two weeks. If he captures the Mexico trophy on Sunday, it would be his 10th ATP title overall - all on clay.
"I am very happy," Almagro said. "This is the product of the hard work I have done in the past. But it's not over yet."
Asked about playing another final, he replied. "One does not play the final, one wins the final."
Top-seeded Ferrer rallied to defeat Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in the other semifinal.
Ferrer converted six of 17 break points and took advantage of seven double faults by Dolgopolov to win his second straight match in which he's dropped the opening set.
Almagro, displaying the best tennis of his career, is trying to become the first player to win three of the four events on the ATP Tour's Latin American clay-court swing.
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.
On the women's side of the joint ATP-WTA event, Arantxa Parra Santonja fo Spain will meet Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the final.
No. 6 Parra Santonja defeated Johanna Larsson of Sweden, 6-2, 6-0, in the semifinals, and Dulko was an easy winner over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-0, 6-2.