Fabio Fognini produced a stirring display on the bright blue hard court in Los Cabos, dismantling Juan Martin Del Potro en route to a 6-4, 6-2 win and a first career title off clay for the 31-year-old Italian.
Fognini needed just an hour and 20 minutes to win, shockingly breaking the Argentine four times and absorbing nearly every big Del Potro forehand. The title gives Fognini three for the year and eight for his career.
The No. 1 seed looked the better player in the very early stages, knocking a stab volley back across the net to break Fognini’s first service game. But he gave back his lead shortly thereafter and then lost a second consecutive service game after an errant forehand, signaling that he would have no routine championship victory.
Del Potro struggled mightily on his second serve in the opening set, winning just three of 12 such points as Fognini converted the only two break chances he created.
The world No. 4 failed to convert a break point early in the second set as Fognini kept countless balls in play. The Italian, who will rise to 14th in the world next week, then took firm command: He hit a crisp forehand past an out-of-position Del Potro to go ahead 2-1, then added an insurance break two games later when the Argentine pulled a forehand just wide.
He remained solid serving out the title. He lost just one point in the clinching game, on a double fault, and crisply deposited a drop volley on his first championship point. He stood at the net briefly in near-disbelief, then raised his arms in celebration after an embrace with Del Potro.
Fognini put fewer than half of first serves in play, but Del Potro failed to take advantage. The Italian won a respectable 16 of 28 second serve points, while the favorite mustered just six of 21 of his own.
Fognini, meanwhile, continues the best season of his career. In addition to his titles in São Paulo and Båstad, he reached the second week of two grand slams for the first time in his 12 years on tour.
The loss marked a disappointing Saturday evening for Del Potro, who failed to add to his lengthy list of 2018 accomplishments. He could not complete the Mexican double after winning Acapulco in February, and could not add a third title to his year after clinching his first Masters title in Indian Wells.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t play my best tennis in the final,” Del Potro said, according to the ATP. “But Fabio deserved to win. He played a very smart game. He took all the chances to win, and I think he’s a good winner of the tournament.”
