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Pablo Carreno Busta beats Munar at home in Spain, Sonego triumphs at 250 in Italy

Pablo Carreno Busta beat Jaume Munar at the Andalucia Open Tennis Tournament in Marbella for his 200th match win and fifth career ATP title. EPA-EFE/Antonio Paz

By Ricky Dimon

In an all-Spanish showdown in front of the home crowd, Pablo Carreno Busta won the Andalucia Open with a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Jaume Munar in Sunday’s final. Carreno Busta needed two hours and 21 minutes to improve to 5-3 lifetime in ATP title matches.

After the first two sets were split, the key moment came with Munar serving at 4-4 in the third. A total of eight deuces saw six Carreno Busta break points come and go before he finally converted his seventh chance.

That allowed Marbella’s No. 1 seed to serve for the match at 5-4, which he did successfully in convincing fashion.

“I suffered like yesterday (in a three-set win over Albert Ramos-Vinolas), trying to continue fighting all the time,” Carreno Busta commented. “I needed to do it if I wanted to win this kind of match. It’s a pleasure to win a title here in Spain, in Marbella. For me, it’s very special. It’s my fifth title, so I’m very, very happy for the victory.”

Lorenzo Sonego swept singles and doubles titles in an inspired performance at the Sardegna Open. EPA-EFE/CHRISTIAN BRUNA

Whereas a packed house was able to witness two countrymen battle it out in Marbella, the public did not get to see the Sardegna Open final in person. What the fans missed was another home-grown champion, as Italy’s own Lorenzo Sonego outlasted Laslo Djere 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in three hours and two minutes.

“The match was long and I remained calm in the second-set tiebreaker,” Sonego explained. “I knew the match wasn’t finished because I had always kept fighting. It’s wonderful to win the title with all my team here. Now, I am really tired, but I am very happy.”

“I have to congratulate Lorenzo on a great week,” Djere concluded. “It was a pleasure to be back in Sardinia and I had a great week again, even though it didn’t end the way I wanted it to. Nevertheless, it’s still a great week for me and I’m looking forward to the upcoming weeks on clay and the tournament in Belgrade.”

Sonego became the first Italian to capture an ATP singles title on home soil since Filippo Volandri. The world No. 34 also won the doubles title with Andreas Vavassori on Saturday.

Both Sonego and Djere are now 2-1 lifetime in ATP finals.

Ricky contributes to10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.