Bob Larson's Tennis News | Casablanca Sunday Summary

Singles - Final: (3) P Andujar def. (7) A Ramos 6-1 7-6(7-5)
There was a very, very long rain delay in the second set of this -- one of several, in fact. Both guys had to come back out, warm up -- and, a couple of minutes later, face a tiebreak. A tough circumstance indeed, as Pablo Andujar remarked, "It was difficult with the three rain delays. Albert was a bit nervous at the beginning and I played very well during the first set. The second set could have gone in both directions. It wasn't easy to remain calm in the end." But it obviously worked out for him; he defends a title for the first time in his career. (It had to be his first defense, since he had only one previous title!) In the process, he puts himself back in the Top Fifty.
Albert Ramos will also reach the Top Fifty. The #52 ranking he came in with was already a career high; now he will be going higher still. And while he didn't win his first title, he did make his first final. He has been having an excellent year. It still seems possible that he can earn a Roland Garros seed. Although he will have to scrambled to get to Monte Carlo first.