Argentine Pella wins first ATP title in Brazil

[March 04, 2019]    SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Argentine Guido Pella claimed his first ATP title when he beat Christian Garin 7-5 6-3 to win the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo on Sunday.

Argentina's Guido Pella in action during the second round match against Croatia's Marin Cilic REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge

Pella, who had previously reached four ATP finals and come up short each time, made no mistake against the young Chilean and finished a superb week without dropping a set.

Ranked 48th in the world before his triumph, the 28-year-old will jump to a career best 34th place when the new rankings are published on Monday.

Pella stopped Garin from becoming the first Chilean since Fernando Gonzalez a decade ago to lift an ATP trophy and is the seventh player to claim their first ATP title this season.

The other first time winners are Alex de Minaur (Sydney), Tennys Sandgren (Auckland), Juan Ignacio Londero (Cordoba), Reilly Opelka (New York), Laslo Djere (Rio de Janeiro) and Radu Albot (Delray Beach).

(Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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