(Reuters) – Argentine teenager Juan Manuel Cerundolo completed his sensational fairytale run on his ATP Tour main draw debut by winning the Cordoba Open title on Sunday.
The 19-year-old qualifier beat Spain’s world number 47 Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-0 2-6 6-2 in the final of the claycourt tournament to become the first player in 17 years to win an ATP title at the first attempt.
After splitting the first two sets with fifth seed Ramos-Vinolas, Cerundolo went 2-0 down in the decider before rallying to rattle off the last six games and clinch his maiden title.
The world number 335 was the fifth lowest ranked player to win an ATP title since 1990 and the youngest Argentine champion on the tour since Guillermo “King of Clay” Coria won the Vina Del Mar title in Chile at a similar age in 2001.
Cerundolo will play his second ATP tournament on home clay in Buenos Aires next week at the Argentina Open.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, Editing by Himani Sarkar)
