By Chris Oddo | Sunday, July 20, 2014

 

Argentina's Leonardo Mayer captured his maiden ATP title with a three-set takedown of David Ferrer in the Hamburg final.

Photo Source: Bet-at-Home Open

Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer won his first career ATP title on Sunday at the Bet-at-Home Open in Hamburg, Germany, coming back from a set down to upset David Ferrer, 6-7(3), 6-1, 7-6(4).

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Mayer, who started the year at No. 94 in the world, becomes the lowest-ranked winner (46) at a 500-level event since Radek Stepanek won the Washington title in 2011 at 54 in the world.

Mayer’s fortunes turned in the final after dropping the first set in a tiebreak when he held serve from 0-40 down in the fifth game of the second set. He would race through the middle stanza, and continue with his torrid play in the decider, breaking to lead 4-3 and earning a chance to serve for the match at 5-4.

But Ferrer, bidding for his 22nd career title, held his ground and notched the break to level things at 5-all.

After falling behind 3-0 in the tiebreak, Ferrer would nearly level, but when he failed to do enough with an easy swing volley, Mayer would lift a lob just high enough to force the Ferrer backhand volley error and take a 5-3 lead.

Though the Spaniard took the next point, Mayer would hammer down two big serves to clinch the match.

The loss marks the eighth time in the last nine finals that Ferrer has failed to come away with a trophy.

Mayer was surprisingly strong throughout the match, knocking 43 winners, including 19 from the forehand side, to go with 10 aces. More important, the 27-year-old Argentine converted on five of his seven break point opportunities, including three of four in the final two sets.

With the victory, Mayer becomes the fourth ATP player to have claimed a maiden title in 2014, and the second from Argentina. Federico Delbonis, Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Cuevas are the other three.

Notes, Quotes

The victory was Mayer's first against the ATP's top ten in 17 matches.

Mayer improves to 22-12 on the season, while Ferrer drops to 37-14.