Weekend Tennis Roundup

Two weeks ago, Pablo Andujar defeated Benoit Paire in the final of Marbella Challenger, building the momentum before Marrakech where he was the defending champion after a great run in 2018. 

The Spaniard and the Frenchman advanced into another title match and this time it was the hunky Frenchman who had the upper hand, scoring a 6-2, 6-3 triumph in just 65 minutes for only the second ATP crown after Bastad 2015. 

 Competing in Marrakech and awaiting entry into the Monte Carlo Masters main draw (he wouldn't get it), it was Paire's sixth ATP final and just his second title. 

Christian Garin became the first Chilean to win an ATP Tour title in 10 years when he beat Norway’s Casper Ruud 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3 at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston on Sunday. The victory was Garin’s second over the Norwegian in a month. He also defeat Ruud in the Brasil Open semifinals. The 22-year-old became the first Chilean to win an ATP Tour title since Fernando Gonzalez in Vina del Mar in 2009. (Norway remains title-free.) 

Dennis Novak from Austria claimed his maiden title on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning the $162,480 Taiwan Santaizi Challenger held on hard courts at the Taipei Tennis Center. The 25-year-old upset No. 3 seed Sergiy Stakhovsky from the Ukraine 6-2, 6-4 in Sunday’s singles final.  

Meanwhile, the WTA reports that "American" teenager Amanda Anisimova clinched her first-ever singles title at the Claro Open Colsanitas on Sunday, engineering a comeback from a set and a break down to quell the breakthrough week of Astra Sharma of Australia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1. No.6 seed Anisimova was two games away from defeat at 6-4, 4-4, but the 17-year-old used the steeliness that has been evident all week to claim a third straight three-set win and clinch her maiden trophy in one hour and 43 minutes.

And speaking of 17-year-olds: Polona Hercog beat 17-year-old Iga Swiatek 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a rain-delayed Samsung Open final on Sunday, to capture her first title since 2012. 

In the 18th singles final on the WTA tour this season, Hercog was the 18th different player to lift a trophy. BTW: The men have had 21 different winners in 22 tournaments -- some guy named Roger Federer won twice!

Social butterflies ...

Bet you can guess who this little cutie is!

Not sure what this says about Andreas Seppi ...

but I know I like it ...

And finally, action is already underway in Monte Carlo -- where Dominic Thiem's ass was caught in the HOTTEST PIC yet.

(With wire services)