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By Chris Oddo | Sunday, March 2, 2014

 

Federico Delbonis of Argentina became the ATP's first first-time winner of 2014 when he defeated Paolo Lorenzi in the Brasil Open final on Sunday.

Photo Source: AFP

23-year-old Federico Delbonis of Argentina outlasted Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi to become the ATP’s first first-time winner of 2014, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

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Delbonis reached his first ATP final as a qualifier last summer, but he fell just short when he squandered three match points to Fabio Fognini in the second-set tiebreaker before falling in three.

This time the Argentine took his chances, rallying to take the final two sets off the Italian, and not facing a break point after dropping serve in the seventh game of the opening set. He broke Lorenzi in the fifth game of the second set and again in the first game of the third. Delbonis ripped 12 aces on the afternoon, and did not double fault all match.

The victory caps a banner week for Delbonis. The Argentine had fallen in qualifying in his first four visits to Sao Paolo, but this week he more than made up for all of those early exits. He knocked off three-time Brasil Open champion Nicolas Almagro in the second round, hitting 10 aces and saving nine of 10 break points in that match before defeating Albert Montanes and Thomaz Bellucci in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

"All the matches were complicated," Delbonis said. "I remember moments from each one of them, especially the one I had with Nico (Almagro) when I lost the first set. It was a hard moment but I was able to come back. I think that everything happened because of the calm attitude I had when facing the key moments."

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For his efforts, Delbonis is projected to rise to No. 44 in the world on Monday, marking his first-ever appearance in the top 50.

Delbonis is only the fourth player born in the 1990s to have won an ATP title (Raonic, 5, Dimitrov, 2, Tomic, 1).

Lorenzi, who entered the week at No. 114 in the world, was also playing his maiden ATP final. The 32-year-old cracked the ATP’s top 50 for the first time last season, but has since fallen back outside the top 100. He had never been beyond an ATP quarterfinal before he shocked Juan Monaco, hammering 12 aces past the talented Argentine to reach the semis.

In the semis, Lorenzi advanced when Tommy Haas retired with a right shoulder injury while trailing 6-3, 3-2.

Lorenzi had owned a 3-0 record on the challenger circuit against Delbonis before Sunday’s loss.

 

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