MEERBUSCH, August 20, 2017

After lifting 12 singles trophies on the ITF Pro Circuit, Ricardo Ojeda Lara of Spain eventually captured his maiden ATP Challenger title, winning Sunday’s final of the €43,000 Bucher Reisen Tennis Grand Prix 6-4, 6-3 over Austrian wild card entry Andreas Haider-Maurer.

The World No. 226 from Valencia saved four of the six break points he faced, converting five of his own to prevail after one hour and 26 minutes.

“I am very happy to win my first Challenger title,” Ojeda Lara told afterwards and continued: “Next I want to enter the qualifying of the Grand Slam tournaments.”

Final ceremony in Meerbusch

Ojeda Lara, who practices at the Lozano Altur Academy and clinched three Futures titles earlier this season, earns €6,190 in prize money as well as 80 ATP ranking points.

Haider-Maurer returned to his first final at Challenger level since taking the title in Meerbusch two years ago. The 30-year-old takes away €3,650 and 48 ATP ranking points.

“Many thanks to tournament director Marc Raffel, giving me the opportunity to play the tournament here with a wild card,” Haider-Maurer told. “It was great to come back here after my injury. My previous two matches went over three sets and I was pretty tired today. Ricardo played a great tournament. Congratulations to him.”