By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, February 18, 2024
In his maiden ATP final, wild card Facundo Diaz Acosta did not drop serve topping Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 6-4 thrilling home fans in Buenos Aires with his title run.
Photo credit: IEB Argentina Open Facebook
Five championship points slipped from his grip.
On this day, first-time finalist Facundo Diaz Acosta showed sheer staying power to seize the dream.
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Argentinian fans were chanting “Facu! Facu!” and the home hero answered their call.
Wild card Diaz Acosta converted his sixth championship point defeating Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 6-4 setting off joyous celebration claiming his maiden ATP title in his hometown tournament in Buenos Aires.
The 23-year-old Buenos Aires native made history joining 2015 champion Rafael Nadal as just the second left-handed champion in tournament history. Diaz Acosta is the first lefty to raise an ATP title trophy since Cameron Norrie won the 2023 Rio de Janeiro.
Though Jarry looked sharp knocking off Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz in a stirring semifinal win yesterday, Diaz Acosta repelled everything the 6’6” Chilean threw at him.
Showing stubborn resolve, Diaz Acosta saved all six break points he faced—including climbing out of a triple break point hole in a jittery opening game and saving a sixth break point in the final game—then drilled some bold forehand strikes to close the biggest win of his career.
In a touching moment that showed just how massive this moment meant for the world No. 87, Diaz Acosta embraced his entire support team exuding emotion.
The victory vaults him to a career-high ranking of No. 59 in the ATP live rankings. Diaz Acosta joins Guillermo Coria, Gaston Gaudio, Juan Monaco, David Nalbandian and Diego Schwartzman as the sixth Argentinian man to raise the Buenos Aires title trophy.
It began with a rocky start that saw Diaz Acosta climb out of that triple break point hole to hold in the opening game.
Diaz Acosta drew first-break blood when Jarry double-faulted deep to hand the home hero the break and a 3-1 lead.
Exploiting the tall Chilean’s deep return positioning, Diaz Acosta dabbed a drop shot winner. That magic touch helped him hold firm for 5-2. Argentinian fans, including Hall of Famer Gabriela Sabatini, roared in approval as the hometown under dog moved within one game of the set.
The 23-year-old left-hander served 79 percent in the opening set. Serving for a one-set lead, Diaz Acosta repeatedly landed first serves to earn double-set point.
Sliding the wide serve, Diaz Acosta carved out another forehand drop shot winner sealing the 40-minute opening set. The Argentinian won 23 of 29 first-serve points in a set that saw him settle in after saving triple break point in the opening game.
Empowered by his one-set lead, Diaz Acosta angled off a backhand pass then saw Jarry net a mid-court forehand to earn break point to start the second set.
The towering Jarry tried the surprise serve-and-volley, but Diaz Acosta was not fooled. Taking almost no backswing, he flicked a forehand return pass breaking with a raised fist toward the home crowd.
An energized Diaz Acosta won eight of the first 10 points for a 2-0 second-set lead.
The world No. 21 stared down double break point at 15-40, but dodged the dilemma. Jarry landed some heavy first serve and thumped a bounce smash to hold in the third game.
Dotting the center stripe with an ace, Diaz Acosta held for a one set, 3-1 lead.
In the eighth game, Jarry earned his first break point since the opening but sailed a shot. The wild card saved a second point then defended with vigor coaxing an error to hold for 5-3.
Fans were waving the Argentinian colors singing “Ole! Ole! Ole! Facu! Facu!” as Diaz Acosta threw a fist toward the sky.
Serving for the first ATP title of his career at 5-4, Diaz Acosta gained triple championship point. Jarry hammered away fighting off two championship points. On the third championship point, Diaz Aocsta narrowly missed a running crosscourt backhand to drop to deuce.
Defending his second serve to prolong the point, Diaz Acosta pounded a forehand winner crosscourt for a fourth championship point.
A fine crosscourt return from Jarry erased it.
In a daring drop shot duel, Jarry ran down a ball behind him and flicked a forehand winner for break point.
Tension intensified and Jarry tightened up netting a return. Back at deuce, Diaz Acosta spun a forehand winner down the line for championship point No. 5.
The lefty lined up a backhand down the line but missed it with an overly-ambitious shot.
A gutsy forehand down the line gave Diaz Acosta championship point No. 6.
When Jarry’s final forehand sailed, Diaz Acosta flipped his baseball cap off his head, rubbed his face with his hands and then extended his arms toward the sky soaking in the roars from Argentinian fans.
There's no place like home: Six of Diaz Acosta's nine career wins have come in his hometown and surely he'll enjoy pumping up the victory party at home tonight.