SANTIAGO, March 22, 2021
One month after winning his maiden title in Concepcion, Argentine young gun Sebastian Baez continued his great run of form in South America by lifting the trophy of the $52,080 Challenger Santiago Chile. The 20-year-old defeated local favourite Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera 6-3, 7-6(4) in Sunday’s singles final held on clay at the Club Manquehue de Vitacura in Santiago.
Unseeded Baez battled through the bottom half of the draw with wins over Danish teenager Holger Rune, compatriots Gonzalo Villanueva and Camilo Ugo Carabelli as well as Juan Pablo Varillas from Peru to reach the championship match without dropping a set.
Baez capitalized on all of his four break-point chances in the final to seal victory in one hour and 34 minutes.
Sebastián Báez is the king of Chile 💪
One month after claiming his maiden title in Concepcion, the 20-year-old captures the 👑 in Santiago @itauchallenger.
Felicidades, @Seba_baez7! pic.twitter.com/vCt8CCB27e
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 21, 2021
“I am so happy for this week. It is very important for my career,” said Baez, who dedicated the victory to his former coach Jorge ‘Chino’ Gerosi, who passed away in January.
“I love him and miss him. I hope, that wherever you are, that you are proud of this player from GEBA (in Buenos Aires), which is an amazing club, where I was lucky to train with you and play club tennis more than two years ago. I just hope that you are happy and that I can continue making you proud.”
Beaz took away from Chile $7,200 in prize money as well as 80 ATP Ranking points, soaring to a new career-high World No. 216.
On Saturday, Luis David Martinez from Venezuela and Goncalo Oliveira of Portugal took the doubles title. The top seeds defeated the all-Brazilian combination of Rafael Matos and Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves 7-5, 6-1. The encounter lasted one hour and two minutes.
