Alex de Minaur defends Mexican Open title after straight sets win

The Australian defeated Casper Ruud 6-4 6-4.

Alex de Minaur of Australia celebrates after defeating Casper Ruud of Norway during the final match of the Mexican Open tennis tournament in Acapulco (Eduardo Verdugo, AP) (AP)

Alex de Minaur has defended his Mexican Open title after defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud in straight sets in Acapulco.

The match took just under two hours as the pair battled in long rallies, with the difference being the Australian’s ability to capitalise on break points, nailing three of four while Ruud converted just one of four.

The 25-year-old took an early lead in the first set at 3-1 and served out the rest of the set, while in the second the pair broke each other before de Minaur had the decisive break in the seventh game.

De Minaur won the same competition last year, beating American Tommy Paul, and further solidified his ranking in the top ten.

After the match, de Minaur said Acapulco is “becoming like a second home”.

“I thought that it was impossible to get feel better after what happened last year, but I came back a year later to defend the title and it has been true pleasure,” he said.

He has won 10 straight games in Acapulco and is the first player since David Ferrer in 2012 to win back-to-back titles at the tournament.

He defeated Jack Draper in the semi-final after the Englishman retired ill in the third set.