Pure history! The Yucatecan Rodrigo Pacheco Méndez shattered the saying that “No one is a prophet in his land”, and was proclaimed champion of the 2022 Yucatan Tennis World Cup, beating the Korean Gerard Campana Lee in two sets, 6 /3 and 6/2, at the Country Club of this city, the first local player to win the title in 35 editions of the fair.
It was necessary to wait another day because of the rain, but it was worth it for the local player. Pacheco Méndez wrote her name in gold letters in the history of the contest and defeated Campana Lee (7 in the ITF youth ranking).
It should be noted that Pacheco Méndez also won the doubles finalist scepter. Due to the absence of his partner, he could not play that game.
As is known, the men’s singles final began on Sunday, but was suspended due to rain when the first episode was being played and the Yucatecan was in front over Gerard (1), 4-2.
Last year, the Mexican fell in the quarterfinals, but now he became the second national element to win the Yucatan World Cup. The only one before him was Andrés Urencio, in 1990. In addition to them, only four other Aztecs have managed to reach the final of the tournament in the men’s branch.
The match resumed this day, where the Korean held his serve to get closer to 4-3. However, the Yucatecan stringed together shots to win his service, leaving Campana at 0 and going up 5-3.
The Asian struggled a lot on his serve and trailing 30-40, smashed his shot into the net to dig his grave in the first set.
Campana Lee opened the second set breaking Rodrigo’s serve; however, the home team scored four games in a row to take a clear 4-1 lead. Lee got a step up to make it 4-2, but it was all up to him.
Down 5-1, Gerard and Rodrigo had a close game, in which the Korean had the advantage twice. The Yucatecan missed a “match point”, but on his second chance he no longer forgave.
After shouting his victory at the top of his lungs, the Yucatecan man dropped onto the clay of the “Lorenzo Molina Casares” stadium court, while the people “covered” him with a loud ovation.
The Yucatecan recalled that when he was about five years old, his father began to take him to enjoy the Yucatan Cup.
“I saw the tennis players and thought they were too good, I thought I could never play this tournament, let alone win it. Now, I played it and I won it, what a thrill,” she stated.
After the match, the award ceremony was held headed by Jorge Haro Giffenig, director of the Yucatan World Cup, accompanied by Arturo Millet Molina, president of Club Campestre; as well as Carlos Sáenz Castillo, head of the State Sports Institute (IDEY).
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