Gonzales, partner finish 2nd in Gimcheon Open

Filipino Ruben Gonzales and Colombian Nicolas Barrientos earned the runner-up trophy in the Gimcheon Open ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) Challenger held in Gimcheon, South Korea.

The unseeded tandem of Gonzales and Barrientos scored three victories to make it to the final round of the tournament sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation.

But the Filipino-Colombian tandem opted to withdraw in the finals against the No. 2 pair of Taiwanese Hsieh Cheng-Peng and Yang Tsung-Hua due to injury.

Gonzales and Barrientos ousted Kimg Young Seok and Seol Jae-Min of South Korea in the opening round, 6-3, 6-0; top seeds Thai twins Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-3, 10-5; and fourth picks Chinese Gong Mao-Xin and Zhang Ze in the semifinals, 6-3, 7-6 (7).

Gonzales has two doubles titles and four runner-up finishes this year.

He won his first crown with Darian King or Barbados in the Mexico F2 Futures in Pachuca, Mexico then followed it up with a victory in the France F13 Futures in Bourgen-Bresse, France with new partner Catalin Gard of US.

Gonzales’ other second-place trophies were from US F10 Futures in March (with American Sekou Bangoura), US F14 Futures in April (with American Dennis Nevolo), the Netherlands F1 Futures in June (with American Connor Smith).

Source: www.manilatimes.net