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The 19-year-old Brazilian Thiago Seyboth Wild entered the draw of the inaugural Santiago Open in Chile with a wild card, using it with both hands to go all the way and take the first ATP title. World no. 182 has become the first player born in 2000 with an ATP title (Felix Auger-Aliassime lost all five finals) and the youngest to lift the crown at the Golden Swing since Rafael Nadal in 2005, becoming the 12th teenager with the trophy on the main level in the last 15 years.
In the title match, Thiago defeated Buenos Aires champion Casper Ruud 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 16 minutes, firing 17 aces and fending off eight out of 11 break chances to limit the damage in his games. Ruud got broken four times, falling behind early in the final set and taking only three points on the return to push the Brazilian through, failing to finish the Golden Swing with two titles under his belt.
The match kicked off with three straight breaks and Casper grabbed two of those for an early lead, wasting five more chances on the return in game five before Thiago broke back in the next game to level the score at 3-3 with a backhand return winner.
The Brazilian erased two break chances in game seven with winners and the opener was in his hands five games later when Ruud sprayed a forehand error to hand it to his opponent 7-5. The Norwegian raised his level in set number two, dropping seven points in five service games and mounting the pressure on Thiago Wild, waiting for a chance on the return patiently.
It came at 4-4 when a teenager sent a forehand long and wrapping up the set with three winners in game ten that set up a decider. There, Seyboth Wild was back at his best, dominating with his strong serve and groundstrokes and earning a break in game two following a costly forehand error from the Norwegian that sent him in front.
Serving for the title at 5-3, Thiago landed three winners to seal the deal and pick up his first ATP trophy, the first out of many if he keeps improving his already rock-solid game.