Lucas Poullain was crowned this Sunday, the 26th, the singles champion of the 2023 edition of the Faro Open, after beating Timo Legout in the final of the tournament, held at Centro de Ténis e Padel de Faro.
The final between the two French tennis players was resolved in two matches. Poullain (849th in the world ranking) defeated Legout (494th) by 7-6(5) and 6-2 after 2h11.
Even so, the decision was close to having more dramatic contours, such was the balance between the two French players: «an exchange of breaks in the first games was followed by a prolonged fit between Poullain, 27 years old, and Legout, 20 , which was only resolved in the tie-break», according to the organization.
«There, the greater variety of Legout was close to rewarding him with winning the first game, but the fact that he was the player with the most initiative was precisely what led him to lose four consecutive points, from 5-3 to 5- 7, and letting the partial slip away», he adds.
From the moment he took the lead, Poullain never relinquished the lead. «With a remarkable consistency that had already been evident in the victory over Pedro Sousa in the second round in more than three hours, he was quick enough to react when Legout returned the break in white and with a new service break — once again supported by too many direct mistakes by the opponent — sentenced the face-to-face».
One day after losing the doubles final alongside fellow Frenchman Clement Tabur, Lucas Poullain won his fifth career title (and second in a $25.000 tournament), his first since recovering from a serious injury — a torn meniscus in his right knee — which forced him to undergo surgery and which ruled him out of the competition just a few weeks after having played in the final of the same year Faro Open in 2021, the year he achieved a career-best ranking (426th).
′′ I'm very, very happy with the victory. Two years ago I was very sad because I had a great week, but I couldn't play my best in the final, so to be able to do it today is very special», said Poullain with the trophy in his hands. «I think the decisive moment was winning the first set. We had very long exchanges of balls and our playing styles are very similar, so it's not easy to face him».
In the end, the tournament director and responsible for the Tennis and Padel Center of Faro, José Rosa Nunes, made a very positive assessment of the 32nd edition of the Faro Open.
«We are very happy because it was a week with good weather and good matches and in which the players were well received. The balance is very positive. We had very good sponsors, starting with the Portuguese Tennis Federation and the Municipality of Faro, so we ended up very satisfied with this 32nd edition», he said.
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