Oviri Kelvin, Sports Editor, Abuja
Rafael Nadal has been crowned the Mexican Open champion after he defeated Cameron Norrie in the final.
Nadal, awarded the Australian Open title last month after beating world number 1, Daniil Medvedev continued his riot for titles in Acapulco.
The Spaniard in a 6-4, 6-4 victory over British number 1 Cameron Norrie, made it his fourth Mexican Open title having won it in 2005, 2013, and 2020. The number of Mexican Open titles garnered by the spectacular Spaniard makes him one of the most successful male singles players in Acapulco joining the likes of Spanish David Ferrer Ern and former world number one Thomas Muster.
Nadal in a post-match interview said, “It has always been a very special place.
“The energy that the people from Mexico bring to me is very unique.
“I went through some very difficult moments during the match that I was able to save, and then I took advantage when I had the chances.
“I’m very pleased. It was a very important title for me, so I can’t be happier,” he added
Read also: Ukraine Invasion: Poland, others cancel FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Russia
With this win, Nadal who had been out of action for about 6 months due to a foot injury, has extended his winning streak to 15 games unbeaten.
Meanwhile, Russian Andrey Rublev won the Dubai Duty Free Trade Championship after he defeated Czech Republic Jiri Vesely 6-3, 6-4 in the final.
Andrew Rublev last week outclassed Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime to win the Marseille Tennis Championship in Center Court.
However, the unseeded Vesely, rated number 123 by ATP, was on the quest to become the first qualifier to win the Dubai Championship before being stopped by the prospective world number 6 in the new ATP ranking.
In another development, Poland’s Iga Swiatek whitewashed Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit to win the TotalEnergies Open in Doha.
Swiatek, after a 6-2, 6-0 victory, threw her support behind the people of Ukraine to empathise with them in this moment of grief.
She said, “I want to show my support to all the people who are suffering in Ukraine.”
According to the sympathetic Polish, the images of the war are devastating, adding that the feeling of knowing Ukraine is a neighbouring country exacerbates the pains.
“Seeing those images is really emotional for me. I wouldn’t even imagine stuff like that happening in the country next to me. I hope everybody will be safe in the end,” Swaitek said.
