Andean Traveller
Andres Gomes (Ecuador) in 1990
He was a veteran on the ATP Tour, with 11 years of experience, and had 19 singles titles to show for all his efforts during that phase.
Those were the credentials of Andres Gomes when he arrived in Paris in 1990. And, perhaps, he too didn't believe he had a chance to go to the second week, let alone win. Statistics hardly favoured the Ecuadorian: he had made the last eight stage just five times in 26 attempts. But destiny had other plans.
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The 30-year-old faced a 19-year-old up-and-coming American Andre Agassi, both playing in their first major final. The latter was the favourite, on the basis of his age and form. But the former won, in four sets, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Gomes won just one more title in his career -- at Brasilia in 1991 -- but the triumph in Paris was a moment to savour forever.
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