Pedro Cachin wins first career title beating Albert Ramos-Vinolas in Swiss Open final

Gstaad (Switzerland), July 23

In his first tour-level final at age 28, Pedro Cachin won his first title Sunday beating Albert Ramos-Vinolas 3-6, 6-0, 7-5 at the Swiss Open; then shared victory kisses courtside with his pet dog.

A tearful Cachin shared a courtside hug with his partner, and kissed their French bulldog who also was at the match sitting in the family section.

After having his service broken to lose the first set, Cachin reeled off eight straight games during which the 35-year-old Ramos-Vinolas sought treatment for his bandaged left foot.

Cachin let slip a 4-3 lead with a service break up in the deciding set but broke again to lead 6-5 because of wayward forehands from Ramos-Vinolas.

The 90th-ranked Argentine clinched the title at sun-bathed Gstaad in the Swiss Alps with a double-handed backhand for a cross-court winner.

The victory will lift Cachin toward a career-best ranking of No. 54 he reached last year. His career was slowed by neck and ankle injuries and he entered the top 100 for the first time one year ago.

A clay-court specialist, Cachin has six career titles on the second-tier Challenger tour and his debut win at ATP level also was secured on his favored surface.

Cachin’s previous match before coming to Gstaad was on the grass of Wimbledon’s Centre Court, where Novak Djokovic beat him in straight sets in the first round.

Ramos-Vinolas broke Cachin’s serve twice in the first set that the left-hander clinched with a strong service return to his opponent’s feet advancing to the net.

Ramos-Vinolas saw his record in tour finals drop to 4-8. All of the 79th-ranked Spaniard’s titles were won on clay including at Gstaad in 2019.