Monaco Beats Sock for Houston Title; Stephens Reigns in Charleston

Former champion Juan Monaco captured the second U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship title on Sunday afternoon, coming back from a set down to beat American and defending champion Jack Sock 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in final in Houston, Texas.

Sock looked impressive early, rolling through the opening set 6-3 in just 30 minutes. He won 65 percent of his first serve points and converted the set’s lone break point to win the first.

But after receiving some treatment on his lower back, Monaco was able to swing the momentum his way. He won 79 percent of his first serves and won a key break point to even the match at one set a piece.

The Argentine then built a 4-1 lead in the deciding third set when Sock received some medical treatment on his right shoulder. Much like it did for Monaco, the injury timeout seemed to be beneficial for Sock, who rattled off four straight games to open up a 5-4 lead.

After Monaco held serve, a hobbled Sock was unable to muster up anything powerful on serve, and double-faulted to give Monaco a 6-5 lead and the decisive break, and Monaco held serve to win the match and the championship.

“It’s amazing, amazing to hold the trophy again in only my fourth tournament back, after three years (without a title),” said Monaco, who only returned to the tour a couple of months ago after wrist surgery in August. “It’s almost like a dream come true for it to happen so fast. That hard work really paid off.”

In Charleston, South Carolina on Sunday, American Sloane Stephens defeated former finalist Elena Vesnina 7-6(4), 6-2 to win the Volvo Car Open championship.

After falling down a break early, Stephens rallied to open up a 5-2 lead. But Vesnina rallied to win four games in a row and actually held a set point before Stephens forced the opening set into a tiebreaker.

And the American dominated from there, winning the tiebreaker and breaking twice in the second set to cruise to the straight sets victory.

“I just said to myself, ‘You have to fight for every point and compete.’ She’s a great player, so I knew had to stay in every point,” said Stephens. “When I got a couple of opportunities, I took them, so that was great.”

Stephens has now won three titles already in 2016 after her triumphs at the ASB Classic and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel earlier this year.