Roberto Bautista conquered the ATP 250 of Kitzbuhel after beating Austrian Filip Misolic 6-2, 6-2 in the final. It is the second title of the Spanish tennis player on clay since he won in Stuttgart in 2014 and the eleventh of his career.
The Spanish tennis player jumped onto the court to face a 20-year-old Misolic, that minutes before he had finished the unfinished match the day before due to the rain against Yannick Hanfmann. After falling in the first set, the Austrian won the second. The third set, in which he came down 4-1, was suspended when he went into a tie-break. After the break, Misolic, 205 in the ATP ranking, was more solid to seal the passage to the final to the delight of the Austrian fans.
Bautista, Top 20 of the ATP, came out strong to the match. Stop the desire of your rival who, pushed by the inertia of his victory against Hanfmann and spurred on by playing at home, not only took the first game with his serve, but also had a break ball in the second. The one from Castelln de la Plana saved it, to later score a break that put him 3-1 up. The gap could have been bigger because he had two options to put the match on track, but Misolic landed a couple of good forehands to stay alive in the first set.
The Spaniard pulled experience to appease his opponent’s game. Saved another break ball that could put the 3-3 on the scoreboard. Misolic’s irregularity prevented him from closing several points with his serve. The Unforced errors dissipated his chances against a Bautista aware that every high ball he sent to the other side of the net put the Austrian in trouble. Thus he achieved another break to then close the first set 6-2.
In the second set, Bautista followed the same script. He was solid from the bottom of the court to add a break and later save his serve in a game in which Misolic could not take advantage of the counterbreak option (3-1). The Spaniard moved his rival from one side of the track to the other to force his mistakes. Print more speed to the ball with each hit. The more intensity, the more problems for the Austrian. In this way, Bautista put the direct to close the set (6-2) and the match.
Bautista achieved his second title of the season after his victory in Doha (hard court) and being a finalist in Mallorca (grass). In Kitzbuhel played the third final on clay of the 21 in total that he has contested in his career (the others have been one on grass and 17 on hard court). He won Stuttgart in 2014 against Lukas Rosol and lost in Gstaad in 2018 against Matteo Berrettini.
With this triumph he becomes the tenth Spanish tennis player to win this tournament. He joins a list formed by Marcel Granollers (2013), Guillermo Garca Lpez (2009), lex Corretja (2002 and 2000), Albert Costa (1999, 1998, 1995), Alberto Berasategui (1996), Emilio Snchez (1989, 1987) ), Jos Higueras (1984), Manuel Orantes (1976) and Manolo Santana (1969).