Christopher Eubanks needed only 63 minutes to capture his first career title with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against fourth-seeded Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Saturday at the Mallorca Championships in Spain.
After saving five match points in his semifinal win against South Africa’s Lloyd Harris, Eubanks did not face a break point against Mannarino in a convincing victory for the unseeded 27-year-old.
The 6-foot-7 Eubanks struck 11 aces and won 89 per cent (31 of 35) of the points on his first serve. He converted all three of his break chances and finished with 22 winners and just four unforced errors.
Including Frances Tiafoe’s win at Stuttgart last month, this marks the first time that two Americans have won grass-court titles in the leadup to Wimbledon since 1984 (John McEnroe and Johan Kriek).
Rothesay International
Fourth-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina outlasted No. 2 Tommy Paul and earned his second title with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory in Eastbourne, England.
Weathering the blustery conditions, Cerundolo finished the one-hour, 51-minute match with 28 winners and 12 unforced errors. He saved both break points in the decisive third set and took the lead with a service break in the seventh game.
Cerundolo, 24, won his first title on clay at the 2022 Swedish Open.
Both players had some unfinished business to start the day following Friday’s rain-delayed semifinals. Cerundolo rallied past another American, Mackenzie McDonald, 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, and Paul rolled to a 6-4, 6-3 win over France’s Gregoire Barrere.
-Field Level Media
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