Pacheco Mendez blazes his way to maiden ITF men's singles title
Former junior world No. 1 Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez collected his first professional singles title in emphatic fashion on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
The 18-year-old from Mexico defeated five-time ITF singles champion Gilbert Klier Junior 6-1 6-0 in the final on Brazilian soil at M15 Belem for a milestone triumph as he steps up his transition to men’s tennis.
Pacheco Mendez made history in May when he became the first player from the COTECC (Central American and Caribbean Tennis Confederation) region to reach the junior world No. 1 spot since the rankings were combined in 2004.
The powerful left-hander’s potential was recognised when he received an ITF International Junior Player Grant in 2021 and ITF-administered Grand Slam Player Grants, financed through the Grand Slam Player Development Programme, in 2022 and earlier this year.
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The world No. 821 will no doubt hope to continue attracting attention as he plots his path to the top of the men’s game (having already been a regular fixture on the ATP Challenger Tour this year).
Pacheco was one of two teenage men's winners on the ITF World Tennis Tour this week along with Croatia's Matej Dodig, who won on Austrian soil at M15 Kottingbrunn.
Dodig, who claimed his first professional singles title at M15 Rovinj this March just a week after making his professional debut, now has three ITF men's singles titles to his name having also won at M15 Novi Sad at the turn of August.
Click here to see all this week's men's winners on the ITF World Tennis Tour