Points won by each set: [ 31-21, 34-28 ]
Points won directly on serve:
37 % Gonzalez – 21 of 56
22 % Massu – 13 of 58
This is quite a special story. Already in the late 90s when Rios belonged to the strict elite, his two potential Chilean successors were well known among juniors (Massu no. 5, Gonzalez no. 4), and they both reached their first ATP final in the same event! The almost 20-year-old Gonzalez [*352, qualifier], who had lost three times in the first rounds of Futures events at the beginning of the season (!), was playing his just third main-level event while the one year older Massu [89] his 11th. It was the fourth and last edition of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships held in Orlando (moved to Houston the following year). As juniors they had met twice, exchanging victories… two weeks before the Orlando final they met in the second round of a Challenger in San Luis Potosi – Massu won 6-4, 7-6.
Gonzalez’s route to his maiden title:
[ Ketola 6-4 6-4; Galimberti 6-2 6-7(2) 7-6(6) – 4 m.p.; S.Prieto 6-2 6-3 ]
1 Cecil Mamiit 6-2, 7-5
2 Antony Dupuis 7-5, 7-6(4)
Q Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3, 6-3
S Martin Rodriguez 6-0, 3-6, 7-5
W Nicolas Massu 6-2, 6-3
Points won by each set: [ 31-21, 34-28 ]
Points won directly on serve:
37 % Gonzalez – 21 of 56
22 % Massu – 13 of 58
This is quite a special story. Already in the late 90s when Rios belonged to the strict elite, his two potential Chilean successors were well known among juniors (Massu no. 5, Gonzalez no. 4), and they both reached their first ATP final in the same event! The almost 20-year-old Gonzalez [*352, qualifier], who had lost three times in the first rounds of Futures events at the beginning of the season (!), was playing his just third main-level event while the one year older Massu [89] his 11th. It was the fourth and last edition of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships held in Orlando (moved to Houston the following year). As juniors they had met twice, exchanging victories… two weeks before the Orlando final they met in the second round of a Challenger in San Luis Potosi – Massu won 6-4, 7-6.
Gonzalez’s route to his maiden title:
[ Ketola 6-4 6-4; Galimberti 6-2 6-7(2) 7-6(6) – 4 m.p.; S.Prieto 6-2 6-3 ]
1 Cecil Mamiit 6-2, 7-5
2 Antony Dupuis 7-5, 7-6(4)
Q Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3, 6-3
S Martin Rodriguez 6-0, 3-6, 7-5
W Nicolas Massu 6-2, 6-3
Serve & volley: Gonzalez 0/1, Massu 3/3
It was the first all-Chilean final on the tour since Nov. 28, 1982, when Jaime Fillol defeated Ricardo Acuna 7-6, 6-4 in Itaparica.
* The lowest ranked ATP champions of the Open Era:
777 – Cilic (Hangzhou 2024)
550 – Hewitt (Adelaide 1998)
355 – Andujar (Marrakech 2018)
352 – Gonzalez (Orlando 200)
349 – Haas (Houston 2004)