Algarve tennis player Tiago Pereira won, alongside Bulgarian Alexander Donski, the doubles title of Faro Open, whose final was played this Saturday, March 2nd.
Playing a match for the first time in the region where he is from, the 19-year-old from Algarve smiled alongside the Bulgarian Alexander Donski as he overcame the Swede Simon Freund and the Danish Johannes Ingildsen — first seeded — in the match tie-break, by 6-4, 3-6 and 10-7 after 1:34.
This Saturday's title was the third of his career for Tiago Pereira in international tournaments, but the first on Portuguese soil (the previous two had been in Monastir, Tunisia) and the first in the ITF M25 category.
«It's incredible to win at home, without a doubt one of the best feelings I've ever had in my life. It's a privilege to be able to play here, mainly because I'm very close to home and I've been to this club many times, so I feel honored», said Pereira.
This was the second victory with Donski, a Bulgarian who was full of praise: «I've been here many times, I love Portugal, I love your food and the climate, especially here in the South. I know these tournaments very well and I was very happy to play here next to Tiago».
In singles, Jaime Faria qualified for tomorrow's final.
Champion in Vila Real de Santo António last Sunday, the 20-year-old Lisbon native will have the opportunity to fight for the second title in two weeks and fourth of his career.
This Saturday's victory was achieved with a 6-4 and 6-2 victory over the Czech Michael Vrbensky, world number 317 and first seed.
Currently in 391st place in the hierarchy, but already guaranteed to climb several dozen places with these two campaigns, Faria has always been the player with the most arguments.
The tennis player from the High Performance Center of the Portuguese Tennis Federation — this week accompanied by Gonçalo Nicau — missed a break in the first set with a break in his service shot and in the second he began to be broken in a game in which committed three double faults.
But the reaction was immediate and with six consecutive games they scored their fourth victory of the week.
«It was my most unstable match from an emotional point of view and I didn't play that well, but achieving victories like this is also important», acknowledged Jaime Faria at the end.
«In the end, what matters is the victory and the fact that we secured eight more points. It was worth making the effort to overcome some imbalanced situations».
“He was a little unstable and that ended up helping me. I ended up playing quite well and I'm very happy to be through to another final", added Jaime Faria when he still didn't know the name of his last opponent.
Shortly afterwards, this vacancy ended up being occupied by Vilius Gaubas. The 19-year-old Lithuanian, ranked number 358, beat Australian Matthew Dellavedova (436th) 7-5, 6-3 in 1h55 en route to the eighth final of his career and second of the season, in which he will seek his fifth title (third in category M25).
«I've known him since I was more or less 14 years old and we've evolved in a similar way. I know what to expect and I will be prepared», promised Jaime Faria, without wanting to advance his tactics against a tennis player who, during the several years he lived in Portugal, was coached by Pedro Pereira.
The final between Jaime Faria and Vilius Gaubas is scheduled for 11am on Sunday and could mean a practically perfect weekend for the Portuguese delegation, given that this Saturday Tiago Pereira won the doubles title.
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