HOUSTON (AP) — Nalagpasan ni Steve Johnson ang pamumulikat nang mga paa sa krusyal na sandali para maitakas ang 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5) panalo kontra Thomaz Bellucci ng Brazil para sa U.S. Men’s Clay Court tile nitong Linggo (Lunes sa Manila) sa River Oaks Country Club.

Nakopo ng 27-anyos na si Johnson ang ikalawang ATP Tour title at tinanghal na ikapitong American na nagwagi sa torneo mula nang ilipat ang venue sa Houston noong 2001. Nauna niyang naiuwi ang titulo sa grass-court nitong summer sa Nottingham, England.

Pinabagal ng pulikat sa binti ang kilos ni Johnson sa third set, subalit nagawa niyang makihamok sa pagitan ng pahinga at masahe para maisalba ang laban.

“I was in deep trouble. ‘This stinks.’ But sometimes you get lucky,” sambit ni Johnson, seeded fourth sa torneo. “My body has physically run out of gas this week. Coming in from Australia (where the U.S. lost a Davis Cup quarterfinal last weekend), dealing with all the ups and downs, I was kind of behind the 8-ball.

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“A lot goes into cramping. For me today, it was the nerves of trying to close out the title. I haven’t been there enough to feel very comfortable.

Ginapi ni Johnson ang dalawang dating kampeon dito -- Fernando Verdasco (2014) sa quarterfinals at American Davis Cup teammate Jack Sock (2015) sa semifinals, para makausad sa kanyang ikatlong career final.

Target naman ng 29-anyos na si Bellucci, seeded eighth dito, ang ikalimang Tour title.

“Both players were very tired in the third set and we were missing more shots than before,” pahayag ni Bellucci.

“I’m happy for my week but today I am disappointed. I (thought) I could win because I was a little better than him physically. He deserved it more than me.”