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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, April 22, 2017

 
Albert Ramos-Vinolas

World No. 24 Albert Ramos-Vinolas defeated Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, to advance to his fifth career final in Monte Carlo.

Photo credit: Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters

Hurling a final forehand with force of a man slamming shut a door against a strong wind, Albert-Ramos Vinolas realized a career breakthrough.

The 29-year-old Spaniard rode his gusty lefty forehand and stiff resilience into his first career Masters 1000 final warding off Lucas Pouille, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, in today’s first semifinal.

Watch: Nadal's Unreal Get In Monte Carlo

The victory continues an inspired run in which Ramos-Vinolas rallied from 0-4 down in the decider to defeat Andy Murray before he dispatched former US Open champion and long-time Monaco resident Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals.

All this from a man who carried an unimposing 3-26 career record vs. Top 10 opponents into the season's first clay-court Masters.


Repeatedly curling his slider serve wide on the ad side to create space, Ramos-Vinolas whipped his forehand into the corners and backed the 11th-seeded Frenchman behind the baseline at critical stages.

Pouille can produce dazzling winners from all areas of the court, but can also look confused applying a blue-print plan to point construction.

On crucial points, Ramos-Vinolas played with more clarity and consistency than his up-and-down opponent.



Ramos-Vinolas advanced to his fifth career final where he will face either nine-time champion Rafael Nadal or 10th-seeded David Goffin in tomorrow’s final.

Do you remember the last left-hander not named Rafael Nadal to raise the Monte Carlo title trophy?

Former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios defeated two future French Open champions—Alberto Costa and Carlos Moya—before sweeping Alex Corretja, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, to capture the Monte Carlo crown 20 years ago.

Tomorrow, the 29-year-old Ramos-Vinolas will try to join Rios, Thomas Muster and nine-time champion Nadal as the fourth left-hander in the last 25 years to win Monte-Carlo.

In a battle of first-time Monte Carlo semifinalists, jitters took some time to settle as the pair traded breaks to open.

The 24th-ranked Spaniard began asserting himself in baseline exchanges draining errors from his opponent.

Continuing to crack deep topspin shots, Ramos-Vinolas challenged Pouille’s consistency and drew a netted backhand breaking for 4-3.

The left-handed Spaniard slid a slice serve out wide navigating a deuce hold to back-up the break. It's a pattern Pouille saw, but couldn't solve, falling to American left-hander Donald Young in successive losses in Indian Wells and Miami last month.

A shot-maker skilled at creating on the run, Pouille can hit the high notes only to lose the plot in high-percentage crosscourt rallies. It’s almost as if Pouille plays with more engagement when stretched, but can lose his sense of purpose from the center of the court.

Dropping into a triple-set point hole in the ninth game, Pouille inexplicably volleyed right back at his opponent twice only to be forced into retreat chasing a lob. The Frenchman chose the flashy option trying an ill-advised tweener. Ramos-Vinolas was waiting and knocked off a smash sweeping his fourth straight game to seal the set with a love break—and ensure he’d start the second set serving.

When he applies his all-court skills shrewdly, Pouille can threaten from any place on the court. Moving forward into the court with more frequency Pouille earned a break point in the third game, but Ramos-Vinolas denied it and carved out an enticing drop shot winner holding for 2-1.

It can be disorientating watching Pouille play a spasmodic series of points. He can produce astonishing delicacy—as he did with a smooth drop volley winner and a twisting drive that touched the sideline holding for 3-all—then bungle a mis-hit backhand return so badly Pouille nearly pegged chair umpire Carlos Bernardes’ perch as Ramos-Vinolas held for 4-3.

Tension heightened in the ninth game as Ramos-Vinolas faced break point. Toweling off and breathing deeply, he stepped to the line and hooked a slider out wide to save it, holding for 5-4.



Transitioning forward smoothly, Pouille punched a forehand volley into the corner to level raising a clenched fist and exhorting the crowd to make some noise.

Playing with more control and intensity, the Frenchman drew a floating backhand for a second break point in the 11th game. Ramos-Vinolas ripped a high-velocity diagonal forehand to save it, but couldn’t cope with Pouille’s demanding depth. On his third break point, the unrelenting length of the 11th-seed’s shots provoked the error as Pouille broke for 6-5.

The early-match clatter of clanging cutlery and champagne glasses was replaced by a sustained roar from fans as Pouille served out the set to force the decider.

All the spirited good work the 2016 Rome semifinalist did in the second set dissolved with a rash of errors early in the third.

Asserting his twisting topspin forehand again, Ramos-Vinolas regained control breaking in the second set and quickly consolidating. Pouille took a brief medical timeout for an apparent lower-back strain about two hours into the match.




Credit Ramos-Vinolas for calming his nerve, the pro-Pouille crowd and his opponent’s second-set charge. Patiently expanding his advantage in baseline exchanges, Ramos-Vinolas extended his lead to 4-1.

A dispirited Pouille sprayed a forehand as the Spaniard stretched the lead to 5-1 just 29 minutes into the final set.

Ramos-Vinolas saved seven of nine break points closing a monumental win in two hours, 15 minutes.


 

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