OEIRAS: Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq rallied to overhaul Czech top seed Tomas Berdych 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 yesterday to win his second career title with victory at the Portugal Open.
The world number 62 becomes the sixth tournament winner over the age of 30 this year on the ATP with his victory in two hours, nine minutes against the world number six.
Berdych was the South American’s second top 10 victim of the week after putting out ninth-ranked Milos Raonic of Canada in the quarter-finals.
“This is truly a dream for me,” said the winner, who found his form just in time after losing the opening set in 28 minutes.
But the South American baseliner, whose on-court grunting has irritated a string of rivals in recent years, regained his poise and slowly began to make inroads against the top seed playing on a wild card.
“To win this title today. “I had to beat one of the best in the world. It was an honour to play and to win this final,” he said.
“It was really tough for me at the start, he was playing very aggressive. But I managed to slowly lift my game and get into the match. “The second set was like starting everything all over again.I managed to improve throughout the second and third sets. Berlocq became the fifth Argentine to win at the venue after Juan Martin del Potro (2011, 2012), David Nalbandian (2002, 2006) Gaston Gaudio (2005) and Juan Chela (2004).
Berdych came to the court with a 3-0 record in his series against the Argentine and had beaten Berlocq on clay in Dusseldorf and in Davis Cup. AFP
