Monaco Returns To Houston Final
Monaco Returns To Houston Final
Argentine will go for his ninth ATP World Tour title
Juan Monaco will play for his first ATP World Tour title in almost three years on Sunday.
The Argentine dismissed Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-2 during their semi-finals match on Saturday at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston. Monaco will face an American in the championship, either John Isner or Jack Sock. Monaco last won a title in May 2013 (Dusseldorf), and he’ll be going for his second Houston championship (d. Isner 2012).
“I’m really happy to be here again in the final,” Monaco said on court after the match. “I was really focused, consistent from the baseline.”
It will be the 32 year old’s 21st career title match and likely one of his more meaningful. He missed six months last fall and earlier this year because of a right wrist injury. Monaco slipped in the Emirates ATP Rankings from No. 39 a year ago to No. 146 this week.
But against Lopez, the 6’1” baseliner overcame some nervy play to advance to another Houston final. Monaco had three chances to break Lopez and gain a 5-1 lead but the Spaniard held and then broke Monaco to get back on serve. The Argentine eventually took the first set, though.
In the second, Monaco broke Lopez three times and used his consistent serving – he hit 71 per cent of his first serves for the match – to win in straight sets. “I think I played a great match,” Monaco said.
The former Top 10 player is playing in just his fifth tour-level tournament of 2016, but he’s exactly where he wants to be on the final day in Houston.