Federico Staksrud (2) defeated Quang Duong (10) in straight sets (11-6, 11-2) to win the PPA Tour Veolia Houston Open Men’s Singles title on Sunday. The fast-paced match lasted only 17 minutes and 29 seconds, with Staksrud dominating from the start. Despite arriving at the court later than Duong, Staksrud won the coin toss and strategically chose the right court.
First Set:
Staksrud took control early in the first game, establishing a 5-2 lead. Although Duong fought back to tie the score at 5-5, Staksrud didn’t let him gain momentum. A controversial call at 9-6, initially ruled in Duong’s favor, was overturned upon challenge by Staksrud, giving him a crucial momentum swing. Staksrud remained focused and secured the first game 11-6.
Second Set:
The second match was completely one-sided. As Staksrud continued to play aggressively, Duong was forced to play defensively. Staksrud quickly got ahead, leading 9-1 in the game, with Duong calling timeouts at 5-1 and 9-1 in a desperate attempt to halt Staksrud’s momentum. The effort proved futile, as Staksrud secured the victory with an 11-2 win in the second game. Staksrud’s aggressive serving and powerful forehand were too much difficult for Duong to handle.
Key Stats
- Score: 11-6, 11-2
- Staksrud won 61.8% of the total points played.
- He had a higher service point win percentage (82.4%) compared to Duong (38.2%).
- Staksrud only used one timeout throughout the match, while Duong used one in the first game and two in the second game.
