Roberto Bautista Agut wins Auckland Classic as Jack Sock quits
Saturday 16 January 2016 08:21, UK
Roberto Bautista Agut secured his third ATP title by winning the Auckland Classic on Saturday after Jack Sock was forced to retire ill.
Sock, who trailed 1-6 0-1 in the final, had complained of suffering flu-like symptoms when he defeated world No 8 David Ferrer in the semi-finals and was unable to make a contest of his match with Bautista Agut.
Bautista Agut's previous titles came in 2014, when he was voted most improved player on the ATP Tour, and had reached the title-decider by coming from a set down to upset French second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
After starting the match with two double faults, the Spaniard picked up where he left off against world No 10 Tsonga and raced through the first set in 20 minutes against the clearly ailing Sock.
The American had lost the opening set in his quarter-final against Kevin Anderson and in his semi against top seed Ferrer, but there was no way back against Bautista Agut and he called it quits after losing his first service game in the second set.
"I feel so happy," Bautista Agut said. "I had an amazing week. I had plenty of good wins, played wonderful tennis here. I feel sorry for Jack."
Bautista Agut, the world No 25, will open his fifth Australian Open campaign on Monday or Tuesday against Slovakia's Martin Klizan, who withdrew from this week's Sydney International with a shoulder injury.
Sock, who was looking for his second career title, will be hoping to play his opening round match at Melbourne Park against a qualifier on Tuesday to give him time to recover from the virus.
