Tomic takes his second Bogotá crown in a row, “I am definitely coming back here next year”. Photo: IMLA Press office
The capital’s ATP Claro Open tennis tournament was a spectacle of high profile tennis. Australian Bernard Tomic came out victorious as he defended his title from last year. The typical Bogota rain interfered with the matches on several occasions but the final weekend was a sunny affair
IN THE Bogotá Claro Open final on July 26, 22-year- old Australian Bernard Tomic beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in three sets: 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
Speaking after his victory, he said, “I am grateful to see the public and the support here, I am very happy they come to watch”.
He continued: “Every title you remember. I’m very happy to have won my third title and to defend it here was amazing.”
The Colombian performance was mixed. The country’s number one Santiago Giraldo was conspicuous by his absence, leaving Alejandro Gonzalez and Alejandro Falla and two Colombian ATP debutants to meet local expectations. After first round defeats for both Alejandros, it was the newcomers that stole the show early in the week.
Nineteen-year-old Daniel Galán, a tournament wildcard, beat world number 231 Pere Riba in the first round. In the second round the world number 607 came close against number one seeded Croat, Ivo Karlovic.
Alejandro Gómez, who made it through the qualification rounds, caused a major upset. Former Australian open finalist (and pleasure to watch) Marcos Baghdatis couldn’t take ground in Bogotá against the 23-year-old world number 698 and lost 3-6, 6-0, 6-7. But for Gómez the second round became his Waterloo as Tatsuma Ito from Japan proved a step too far.
Tomic’s victory was his third on the tour and second in Bogotá, leaving him unbeaten in nine matches at the altitude of the capital. Tomic will continue on the American tour while up-and-coming Colombian stars Galán and Gómez carry on their quest to move up the ATP rankings in their next tournament in Medellin.
By Freek Huigen