1st Time Winner Carballes Baena Raises Trophy at ATP Ecuador Open
Roberto Carballes Baena became the second qualifier to win a first-time ATP title this week when the Spaniard defeated No. 2 seed and countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for the Ecuador Open trophy on red clay.
ADHEREL
The 24-year-oled Carballes Baena came from a set down in both the quarterfinals and semis, during the week upsetting the No. 2 Ramos-Vinolas, No. 4 seed Paolo Lorenzi and No. 8 Nicolas Jarry.
Carballes Baena, serving up a set and 4-5, double faulted to send it to a third set. In the third he broke for a 4-2 lead before riding out the win after Ramos-Vinolas fought off two match points.
Ramos-Vinolas had won four out of their previous five encounters entering the match.
Carballes Baena joined Sofia champion Mirza Basic as first-time winners during the weekend. The Spaniard entered Quito ranked No. 107, and it’s his first ATP final in almost eight years as a pro. Last year he fell in the Quito quarterfinals to Ramos-Vinolas after winning the first set.
In 2017 he won the Cortina and Manerbio challengers in Italy, in Manerbio beating Tommy Robredo in the semis and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the final.
The No. 21-ranked Ramos-Vinolas drops to 1-5 in career finals, still looking for his first title since 2016 Bastad.
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