BASTAD, Sweden – Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq, who is ranked 74th in the world, won his first ATP Tour title on Sunday, defeating Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-1 in the final of the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad.
The 30-year-old Berlocq needed one hour and 37 minutes to win his first title.
The 35th-ranked Verdasco struggled with his service game in the final, while Berlocq responded with a strong baseline game.
The 29-year-old Verdasco, who was seeking his sixth career title, had 27 aces during the week but only two on Sunday, and he was broken five times by the Argentine.
The two players are heading for Hamburg, where Swiss great Roger Federer will be making his first appearance in five years.
Verdasco, who has a first-round bye, will play his first match in the German port city against the winner of the match between Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut and Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
Berlocq will play Germany’s Mathias Bachinger, who got a wildcard into the tournament, in the first round.