Alex de Minaur has started to put the disappointment of his Australian Open exit behind him after surging to his eighth career title with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Casper Ruud as he claimed the Acapulco ATP 500 title for a second straight year.
The Aussie beat the three-time grand slam finalist just a week after the Norwegian was also beaten by De Minaur’s compatriot Jordan Thompson in Los Cabos.
Alex de Minaur defeats Casper Ruud in Acapulco final to claim eighth career title
The win has ensured De Minaur will retain his ranking inside the top 10, while it also positioned him into third spot in the ATP Tour race which sees the best eight men qualify for the tournament later this year.
MORE: Andrey Rublev default video - Tennis star disqualified for swearing at official in Dubai
Australian Open finalists Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev are the only two players who currently sit above the 25-year-old.
The world number nine, who is his nation’s highest-ranked player, snapped a four-match losing streak in ATP Tour deciders with the win over Ruud. It is the seventh top-15 win for the Australian already this year.
De Minaur eased to the first set after breaking his opponent early to grab a 3-1 lead which he did not relinquish, losing only five points on serve.
However, he met resistance in the second when he had to fight back from a Ruud break in the second to eventually triumph in straight sets.
“Acapulco has been a very good place for me, for my tennis career,” the Aussie said post-match.
“It’s the first time I’ve won a 500 (title), first time I’ve defended my title in my career. I feel at home here and it’s a great place to be.”
Alex de Minaur prize money
De Minaur became the first player since David Ferrer over a decade ago to retain the Acapulco title to claim his seventh title on hard courts to date in a win which will net the Aussi more than $630,000 in prize money.