2 Responses to umag00rios_puerta

1. Voo de Mar says:

   August 4, 2025 at 6:54 pm

   Points won by each set: | 53-46, 36-37, 43-36 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   22 % Rios – 25 of 113
   21 % Puerta – 29 of 138

   Very entertaining night match of two gifted left-handers; Rios [23] produced quite amazing number of winners regarding clay, as many as 43% of his points he obtained after them. He saved two break points at 0:2 in the opener and began dominating with his effortless game-style, but a few years younger Puerta [21] was considered as one of the leading clay-courters at the time, expected to do some damage in the biggest clay-court events. The Argentine got his only break in the 2nd set at 5:4 having withstood two break points at 3-all. In the 3rd set he struggled a lot with getting points directly behind his serve, Rios manufactured 13 break points in four out of Puerta’s five service games breaking him twice. The Chilean was very happy with that title because the year 2000 was marked by his repeated injuries. He lost his status of an elite player after the years 1997-99, and hoped to regain it with that title in the Istrian peninsula, but it wasn’t meant to be.

   Rios’ route to his 16th title:
   1 Jan Kroslak 6-3, 6-1
   2 German Puentes 6-3, 6-2
   Q David Sanchez 7-6(6), 6-2
   S Carlos Moya 6-2, 7-5
   W Mariano Puerta 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-3

   Serve & volley: Rios 4/4, Puerta 2/3

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   August 4, 2025 at 7:31 pm

   ☆ Very capricious Rios didn’t feel good vibes moving from Europe to the United States, and a few days after his Umag title he was disqualified for the only time in his career facing an obscure Japanese, Goichi Motomura [173], who never played an ATP quarterfinal. Motomura had already booked an airline ticket from Los Angeles because he didn’t believe he’d defeat Rios; he led 5:3 (15/0) in the first set after an ace when Rios began his tirade at chair umpire Tony Nimmons, claiming he had been unprepared for beginning the game, signalising it with a hand gesture. Rios allegedly insulted the umpire, and Nimmons – after a consultation with the supervisor – defaulted the Chilean.

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