Pouille comes from a set down to beat giants slayer Lopez to Stuttgart crown
Lucas Pouille earned a second title of 2017 by ending Feliciano Lopez’s brilliant run at the Stuttgart Open in Sunday’s final.
Lopez came into the final having eliminated three seeds in Gilles Simon, Tomas Berdych and Mischa Zverev but Pouille proved too strong as he battled back from a set down to win 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
The fourth seed was out of sorts early on as veteran Lopez took control of the match, the Spaniard moving one set ahead in 32 minutes on the worn grass court.
A first title since July 2016 was not forthcoming, though, as Pouille battled his way back into proceedings – the 23-year-old having saved four break points along the way.
In the breaker, a crucial mini-break off Lopez’s first served proved crucial as Pouille raced to level the match, converting his third set point.
The decider was equally as tense, Lopez losing his serve in the fifth game to give Pouille a glimpse of the silverware.
He had three chances to claim it on serve and needed all three to wrap up the title in just over two hours.
