Roberto Ortega-Olmedo (sixth right) and Carlos Boluda-Purkiss pose with Liew (fourth left), ITF supervisor Puneet Gupta (fifth left) and tournament director Douglas Telajan (left) and officials during the prize presentation.
KUCHING: Roberto Ortega-Olmedo had a very fruitful week in Kuching where he picked his first professional title of the season at the Sarawak Lawn Tennis Association (SLTA) Tennis Centre yesterday.
The ATP No. 338 player outclassed his good friend and training mate Carlos Boluda-Purkiss, the ATP No. 631 player, 6-0, 6-2 in the singles final of the ITF Men’s Futures US$15,000 tournament.
He received a trophy and US$2,160 in prize money while Carlos collected a trophy and US$1,272.
“I am so happy to win here today and it was really different when I arrived in Kuching earlier in the week from Manila feeling not so good,” an elated Roberto said after the prize presentation.
The 22-year-old from Madrid exited from the quarter-finals of the Philippines leg of the ITF Men’s Futures US$15,000, first round of Men’s Futures US$10,000 in Turkey and second round
of the Men’s Futures US$15,000 in France before coming to Kuching.
“I played well in the second round until today and it wasn’t easy to beat Carlos as we know each other’s game. I was nervous at first and when I won the game 1-0 and led 4-0, my confidence level rose,” said the tournament third seed who had beaten Carlos 6-2, 6-2 in the second round in Manila.
His good run in the tournament began with a 6-2, 7-6(3) win over compatriot A Sanjuro Hermida in the first round.
He next beat Chinese Taipei’s Ho Chih-Jen 6-2, 6-2 in the second round and went on to defeat another Chinese Taipei challenger Hung Jui-Chen, the eighth seed, 6-4, 6-2 in the last eight.
Roberto’s best result in this competition was upstaging top seed and ATP No. 246 Benjamin Mitchell of Australia 6-4, 2-0 (retired) in the semi-finals on Friday. It was the second best win of his professional career after also competing in other Men’s Futures US$10,000 events and Challenger series.
This was Roberto’s first win in Malaysia and he was impressed with the tennis facilities at SLTA, saying: “The courts here and the balls used here are better than in Manila.”
It will also boost his confidence as he heads to Chengdu, China today to play in two Men’s Futures US$15,000 tournaments and two Challenger events.
Roberto and Carlos are coached by Oscar Burrieza.