By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday March 2, 2024
Alex De Minaur completed the first successful Acapulco title defense since 2012, defeating Casper Ruud for the title.
Photo Source: TTV
There’s something about Acapulco for Australia’s Alex de Minaur. The man they call "the Demon" made his time in Mexico well spent once again in 2024, as he defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 to complete a successful title defense at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
The 25-year-old holds on to his Top 10 ranking as a result of the triumph, and becomes the first player to win back-to-back trophies at Acapulco since David Ferrer completed his threepeat on the red clay in 2012.
“Probably a week I didn’t really expect if I’m honest,” De Minaur said. “I came into Mexico not feeling my best and just kept on telling myself to keep giving myself chances. I think today I played my best match of the tournament, so I’m extremely happy with that.”
The tournament has been played on hard courts since 2014, and De Minaur is the only man to win it back-to-back. He put forth an impressive display of counterpunching to keep Ruud on the back foot for most of the match, earning his 12th career Top-10 win in the process.
Ruud, who was bidding for his biggest career title, was left wanting in the opening set as De Minaur was tactically and technically perfect – the Aussie lost just five points on serve in the opener, and never faced a break point.
The Norwegian did pick up his level in the second set, breaking early and leading 2-0, but his lead quickly evaporated, and things got worse when he was broken a second time, in the seventh game.
De Minaur didn’t blink after that. He won eight of his final ten service points to lock up the title in one hour and 52 minutes.
De Minaur broke serve three times from four opportunities, and excelled on the first strike, winning 43 points of less than four strokes, while Ruud won just 29.
“Acapulco has been a very good place to me for my tennis career,” said De Minaur. “The first time I won a 500, and [now] the first time I’ve defended a title in my career. I feel at home here and it’s a great place to be.”
After raising the trophy, De Minaur had kind words for 10-time ATP titlist Ruud.
"You are very respected on the tour for your values and how you go about competing - that's something I really admire about you,” he told the Norwegian.