Thomaz Bellucci attempted to beat Victor Estrella Burgos at the Ecuador Open in each of its first three editions (2015 SF, 2016 F, 2017 SF), but the Brazilian failed each time. Estrella Burgos would go on to win the Quito trophy all three years.
But after winning the first set against the Dominican on Monday evening and losing just three points through his first four service games in the second set, would the fourth time be the charm for Bellucci?
Not so fast. The three-time defending champion Estrella Burgos battled back to beat the Brazilian for the fourth time in Quito in four years 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour, 55 minutes to deny Bellucci his 200th tour-level victory.
It was the Dominican’s first tour-level win this season after only claiming a combined five games in Doha (l. to Gasquet) and Melbourne Park (l. to Nadal). World No. 86 Estrella Burgos is the only player in history to win three titles at one event and not own a tour-level trophy anywhere else.
While Bellucci could not hit his milestone, #NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet did. The 18-year-old bounced back after failing to serve out the match at 6-4, 5-4 to defeat Adrian Menendez-Maceiras 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2 to claim his first ATP World Tour match win.
“I’m really happy. It was a really good match,” Moutet said. “I’m really happy to win, but I’m really happy because I played a good match and I had a tough opponent who was playing really good.”
Moutet was the second-youngest player to finish inside the Top 200 of the year-end ATP Rankings in 2017. So was it a dream-come-true to earn his first tour-level victory in just his second ATP World Tour event?
“I can’t say it’s a dream because it’s been a goal,” Moutet said. “I practised hard for that.”
Another #NextGenATP star, Norwegian Casper Ruud, also advanced to the second round with a 7-5, 6-0 win against Argentine Carlos Berlocq.
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