TUCSON, Ariz. — On a weekend where New Mexico’s women’s soccer team and football team took down New Mexico State, Facundo Bermejo did the same in men’s tennis, and it won him the French Open draw singles title at the Wildcat Invitational, capping off a brilliant tournament where the Lobos went 11-4 overall in singles despite a deep field.
Bermejo actually won the title on Sunday over David Bell when Bell couldn’t well, answer the bell for the match, defaulting the title away to Bermejo. What that meant was Saturday afternoons semifinal against Nicolas Buitrago was the de facto title match, and it was, much like the soccer and football games, tightly contested. Bermejo was able to get key breaks in the first and third sets, and that was the difference in a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win.
“It’s great to see Facu come back with a singles title,” said assistant coach Robin Goodman, who was with the team in Arizona. “I’m looking forward to getting back home to Albuquerque and continuing to work hard.”
Bermejo’s win was one of four in singles on the final day. Alex Maggs, who lost a three setter on Saturday, rebounded with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Northern Arizona’s Facundo Tumosa. Jake Trondson lost his opening match but came back to win the consolation draw for the Australian Open bracket, winning 5-7, 6-3, 10-6 over Tumosa on Saturday and than 1-6, 6-4, 10-2 over San Diego State’s Daniel Traxler. Raul Dobai also went 3-1 in the Australian Open bracket beat Louis Menard of New Mexico State 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday and then he toppled Adolfo Arroyo of Northern Colorado 6-3, 6-2.
“Overall, going 11-4 ina strong individual singles tournament is a great sign that we are taking steps in the right direction,” said Goodman. “These guys are putting in hard work day in and day out.”