By Erik Gudris | Sunday, April 26, 2015
The Spanish veteran won two very close tiebreaks to win his second title of the year in Bucharest.
Photo Credit: Digisport Ro
Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez came out ahead in two very close tiebreaks to win his second title of the year at the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy in Bucharest, Romania.
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The No. 5 seed Garcia-Lopez faced off against No. 7 Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic in Sunday's final. The first-time meeting provided a riveting battle right up until the very end.
Garcia-Lopez took advantage of a slow, error-filled start from Vesely in the first set. The Spaniard jumped out to a 4-1 lead before Vesely started to find his range from the backcourt. Vesely started his comeback with a crosscourt backhand winner to pull within a game at 4-3.
Vesely, who started dictating points better, took the lead and then broke Garcia-Lopez again for 6-5. Vesely held two set points in the next game, but Garcia-Lopez saved both to break back and force a tiebreak.
The 21-year-old Czech ripped a forehand winner to earn a 5-3 advantage in the tiebreak. But poor shot selection and a missed volley from Vesely soon gave Garcia-Lopez a set point of his own. Garcia-Lopez struck a big serve to close out the set 7-6(5).
Both players traded service breaks early in the second set. When each man started holding serve easier midway through, it soon led into yet another tiebreak.
From 4-all, Vesely struck two forehand errors in row. That gave Garcia-Lopez two match points. Vesely saved both with aggressive play to level things at 6-all. Garcia-Lopez would hold several more match points only to have Vesely fend them off again. One of them with a backhand that just clipped the net and fell over for a winner.
The tiebreak then swung in Vesely's favor as kept his cool to edge ahead 11-10 and earn a set point. Garcia-Lopez didn't blink as he hit a big serve to pull back even again. Vesely then chose to hit a poor drop shot on the next point that set up an easy backhand winner for Garcia-Lopez.
Now with his sixth match point at 12-11, Garcia-Lopez hoped he could finally close things out. He did so when Vesely struck a backhand well out. With that, Garcia-Lopez extended his arms in celebration at winning 7-6(5), 7-6(11).
Bucharest is now the fifth career title for the 31-year-old Spaniard. It's also his second of this year having lifted the trophy in Zagreb back in February.