By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, April 10, 2016
Federico Delbonis defeated Borna Coric, 6-2, 6-4, in the Marrakech final to claim his second career ATP title.
Photo credit: Jared Wickerham/BNP Paribas Open
The pregnant pause at the start of Federico Delbonis' service motion makes him look like a server putting a little extra thought into his location before delivery.
Delbonis' single-minded devotion to protecting serve launched him to his second career title today. Delbonis denied all three break points he faced sweeping Borna Coric, 6-2, 6-4, in the Marrakech final.
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The 89-minute victory sealed the Argentine's first ATP title since he beat Paolo Lorenzi to rule the Sao Paulo clay two years ago. It's been a successful spring for Delbonis, who surprised world No. 2 Andy Murray in Indian Wells last month and did not drop a set in four tournament wins here.
They are separated by one spot in the rankings, but the 47th-ranked Delbonis has more experience than the 19-year-old Coric, who was playing to become the first teenager to win an ATP title since compatriot Marin Cilic captured New Haven in 2008.
Playing his first ATP final since falling to Ernests Gulbis in the Nice title match in May of 2014, Delbonis came out with a clear game plan. Play high, heavy topspin to drive Coric back and control the center of the court to make the Croatian counter from defensive positions.
The fourth seed was the calmer competitor from the start, spinning topspin drives dive-bombing deep in the court to back the Croatian off the baseline.
Trying to change direction, Coric created problems for himself. His two-handed backhand, typically his most stable shot, failed him flat on a drive down the line as Delbonis broke for 3-1.
Finding his range, the left-hander ran off nine of 11 points building a 4-1 lead with break points for 5-1. Coric calmed the storm with serving thunder. A three-ace game—including aces to save two of the three break points—empowered the teenager through a gritty hold for 2-4.
Riding that positive burst, Coric earned a break point in the seventh game, but Delbonis unleashed the swirling topspin holding for 5-2.
A scattered forehand put Coric down set point. Making an uncommitted shuffle toward net, rather than a quick sprint and split step, Coric bungled a routine forehand volley from a step inside the service line. The better player throughout the opener, Delbonis snatched a one-set lead winning 15 of 18 points played on his first serve.
Swinging with less stress and stepping up closer to the baseline, Coric pressured in the fifth game of the second set.
A looping running forehand created a court positioning advantage and Delbonis exploited it brilliantly with a fine backhand drop-shot winner holding for 3-2.
Coric answered with a love hold, his most emphatic of the match, to level.
The only real crisis moment for Delbonis came at double break point in the ninth game. He slashed an inside-out forehand erasing the first, denied the second with a stinging body serve and eventually held for 5-4.
Inexperience cost Coric as he tried a surprise serve-and-volley but was out of his comfort zone at net. Coric couldn't handle a pass facing championship point. On the seventh shot of the ensuing rally Coric sailed a backhand as Delbonis thrust his arms in victory. Two years removed from his first ATP title, Delbonis savored this one.