Marcel Granollers won his first title of the season on Sunday, beating Fernando Verdasco in three sets in an all-Spanish final at the Swiss Open. The 25-year-old Granollers, seeded eighth, defeated the fourth-seeded Verdasco 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 at the Roy Emerson Arena. Granollers won his only previous tour title in 2008, also on clay at Houston. The 45th-ranked Granollers is set to rise above his career-best No. 41 in Monday’s updated standings.
Verdasco, ranked No. 20, was also seeking his first tournament victory in 2011. Granollers broke Verdasco’s serve in the opening game, clinching it on a net shot that dropped into play without giving Verdasco a chance to return. Granollers made the lead hold up and took his first set-point chance on a serve that Verdasco couldn’t return. The left-handed Verdasco broke his opponent’s serve for the first time to lead 2-0 in the second, and served out the rest of the set.
Granollers, a right-hander from Barcelona, broke to lead 4-2 in the deciding set on a Verdasco double fault. Verdasco had a chance to break back immediately but Granollers saved the game with a drop shot. Granollers became the seventh different Spanish player to win a tournament on the ATP tour this season.
