Fil-American netter Ruben Gonzales resumed his title bid yesterday after making a hot start with American partner Brandon Anandan in the Torneo Profesional Future Berimbau tennis tournament in Mexico City, Mexico.
The unseeded Gonzales and Anandan, who are pairing up for the first time this season, survived a close second set before stunning Colombian fourth seed Jose Daniel Bendeck and Alejandro Gomez, 6-4, 7-6 (5), in the first round of the $10,000 International Tennis Federation (ITF) Futures event.
Gonzales and Anandan took advantage of their Colombian rivals’ 11 double faults while winning four break points to advance in the quarterfinals after one hour and 29 minutes.
The early victory set up Gonzales and Anandan a confrontation with Brazilian duo Luis Britto and Ricardo Hocevar, who overcame a tight opening set before beating Great Britain’s Farris Fathi Gosea and United States’ Tim Kopinski, 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Gonzales hopes to continue his momentum despite playing with a different partner after winning the doubles crown in a similar ITF $10,000 Futures event in Pachuca, Mexico over the weekend with Darian King of Barbados.
The triumph improved his doubles ranking to five notches to No. 524.