19-year-oldRodrigo Pacheco Mendez enjoyed a memorable night at the home ATP 500 event in Acapulco. A teenager prevailed over Aleksandar Vukic 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 in three hours and one minute and wrote Mexican tennis history.
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Pacheco Mendez became the youngest Mexican winner of a match at the ATP tournament since 1996 and made a proper celebration with his partisan crowd. A year ago, Rodrigo fell to Aleksandar in the first round in Los Cabos.
A teenager endured all the challenges on Tuesday night in Acapulco, serving well in the decider and overpowering the Aussie in the tie break.
A teenager landed 36 winners and26 unforced errors, taming his strokes nicely and keeping his composure. Vukic attacked and fired50 direct points and 54 mistakes. They hit a similar number of service winners, andPacheco Mendez made the difference from the baseline.
The home star served at 70% and outplayed his rival behind the first and second serve. The Mexican denied six of eight break points and created 12 break opportunities. Aleksandar denied ten, throwing everything at his rival but falling in the closing stages.
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Vukic saved two break points in the first half of the opening set. The Aussie stepped in on the return at 5-4 and generated three set points after the rival's double fault. The Aussie sprayed a couple of loose forehand, which would cost him dearly!
Aleksandar squandered game points at 5-5 and offered his rival two break points.Pacheco Mendez converted the second after the rival's wayward forehand, moving 6-5 up and serving for the opener. A left-hander held at love with a forced error, wrapping up the opener 7-5 in 55 minutes.
Vukic served well early in the second set and broke at 15 in the fourth game after the rival's backhand error. Rodrigo created a break chance in the seventh game and missed it when his return landed long. The Aussie held with a service winner and moved 5-2 in front.
The home star served to stay in the set in game eight and faced three set points. The young gun denied them and held. He gained a boost and pulled the break back at 3-5 after a backhand crosscourt winner. Aleksandar stayed focused and made a push on the return at 5-4.
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The Aussie drew the Mexican's mistake and clinched the set 6-4, forcing a decider after an hour and 42 minutes. Rodrigo started all over the final set and provided six comfortable holds. Vukic saved four break points in the first game and avoided an early setback.
A teenager stepped in on the return in game nine and generated two break points. Aleksandar denied them with service winners and held for more drama. They served well in the final three games and introduced a deciding tie break.
The Aussie landed a forehand down the line winner for 2-0. He netted a routine forehand in the fourth game, bringing his rival back to 2-2. They served well in the next four points and stayed neck and neck. A left-hander cracked a forehand down the line winner for 5-4.
He created two match points after Aleksandar's forehand mistake and converted the first with an ace for a notable victory in front of the home fans.
