Latin swing suits clay-court specialists

David Ferrer extended Spain's dominance of the Latin American clay-court season in Buenos Aires on Sunday, snatching the Copa Claro title from compatriot Nicolás Almagro. Murcian Almagro had lifted the trophy last year with back-to-back victories at the Argentinean 250 tournament and the Brasil Open and had successfully defended the latter title a week earlier, which was moved to São Paulo from its previous home in Costa do Sauípe for 2012.

Almagro, especially, enjoys good hunting in Latin America: he has lifted the Brasil Open three times (2008, 2011 and 2012) and the Acapulco title twice (2008 and 2009), as well as recording runners-up showings in both Mexico (2011) and Argentina (2012).

Ferrer, the next best thing Spain has to an all-courter in terms of ATP finals after Rafael Nadal, won in Acapulco in 2010 and 2011. In the intervening years, when Almagro and Ferrer did not claim the spoils, Tommy Robredo completed the Brazil-Argentina double in 2009, a feat matched by Juan Carlos Ferrero the following year.

In his 16 ATP Tour finals, from which he has gleaned 11 titles, Almagro has never once set foot on a surface other than clay. Ferrer, though, has enjoyed five tournament victories on hard courts and is the only Spaniard to have won on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch, defeating Marc Gicquel in 2008.

This week, the clay court duelists will take their battle to the courts of Acapulco for the Mexican Open, where Ferrer is the top seed and Almagro number two. Last year's finalists — who lead a strong Spanish field featuring Marcel Granollers (7), Fernando Verdasco (8), Pablo Andújar, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alberto Ramos and Albert Montañés — open against Mexican wildcard Santiago González and a qualifier, respectively.

"I played pretty well. Against another rival I might have won," Almagro said in Buenos Aires. "I never lost confidence in my tennis. It goes to show how well David is playing. He went up a gear and I couldn't counter that."

"I'm really happy, this was an account I had pending," said Ferrer on Sunday. "This title is something very important to me, and I'll be back next year for sure."

However, despite their efforts, both players dropped a place in the ATP ranking published Monday. Almagro, by dint of not successfully defending the points he earned in Buenos Aires last year, dropped to 12th while Ferrer was usurped in the standing by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who entered the top five for the first time in his career after a semifinal showing in Marseille.

But neither player will be unduly concerned, with the King of the Swing title still be decided between them before the Tour makes a brief stop on America's hard courts en route to the European clay season.