Men’s Final: [46] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. [89] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)
Regaining your confidence after injury is never an easy task and Ferrer’s persistence despite the obstacles and setbacks is a testament of his tenacious personality. It has been two years since Ferrer won a title and it has not helped him having a leg injury, which has compromised his mobility, an important weapon in Ferrer’s arsenal. Dolgopolov also has been battling injuries and most recently a leg injury as well. Confidence was therefore questionable for both; however, the Ukrainian had won a title earlier this year and perhaps felt a tad more confident than his opponent.
Dolgopolov is always dangerous because of his unpredictable style of play and can disrupt his opponent’s rhythm because of the versatility of his shots and has done so often, frustrating many opponents over the years. He can also be a streaky player, who overwhelms his opponents with the pace of his shots and he came pretty close to doing so today. Ferrer withstood the late charge from the Ukrainian, needing seven match points before he was finally able to wear Dolgopolov down to win the title 6-4, 6-4.
This victory means a lot to the Spaniard who fell out of the top ten, his first time out of the top ten since October 11th, 2010. Ferrer will try to build on this victory for the rest of this season and going forward. He is known for his ability to fight his way through adversity and it must certainly feel good to be rewarded for his perseverance with his first trophy since 2015, the look of elation on his face said it all.
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