Houston (AFP) – Roman Burruchaga overpowered friend and fellow Argentinian Thiago Tirante 6-1, 6-1 on Saturday to reach his first career ATP final in the clay court tournament in Houston, Texas. Burruchaga, ranked 77th, seized control with a break in the opening game and never let up, breaking Tirante five times while never facing a break point himself in the 61-minute match. The 24-year-old won all 21 of the points in which he put his first serve in play.
Tirante, coming off a quarter-final upset of top-seeded American Ben Shelton, wilted in the face of Burruchaga’s relentless pressure. “We are very close friends, so it is never easy,” Burruchaga said. “It was a very tough match, so I am happy.”
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Burruchaga, son of footballer Jorge Burruchaga who famously scored the winning goal for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup final, next faces either second-seeded Frances Tiafoe or fourth-seeded Tommy Paul. Paul had won the first set of their all-American semi-final 7-5 and Tiafoe was up 4-3 on serve in the second when rain halted play.
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