Cook wins McAllen Futures after opponent retires

MCALLEN - Energy drink companies claim that their products can help "unleash the beast" or, as most popularly suggested, "give you wings."

They forget to mention that energy drinks can also cost you a tennis championship.

At Sunday's men's singles final of the Dr. Raul Marquez and Dr. Rosario Parra Men's Futures of McAllen tournament, Russian Andrey Kumantsov retired in the third set of his match against American Lester Cook due to fatigue, which may have worsened after he had an energy drink that morning.

"I felt like I had fatigue in the morning, some fever, and thought that if I take an energy drink, maybe it will help," Kumantsov said after the USTA event at McAllen Country Club. "I guess it made me feel even worse."

Cook, who won 1-6, 6-2, 4-0, was clearly in control when the Kumantsov bowed out. The former Texas A&M standout battled back after a dismal first set in which he admitted his opponent outplayed him.

"He came out playing great," Cook said. "No excuses. He just beat me flat out in the first set. Second set I started just trying to make more balls and make him hit more balls than I was. I think I started wearing him down a little bit and maybe I got a little lucky that it was really hot today and got him maybe a little out of shape."

After Cook took a 1-0 lead in the third set, both players returned to their chairs and when play was set to resume, Kumantsov motioned to the chair umpire for a few extra moments of rest. The umpire and a trainer went over to Kumantsov to discuss his ailment and the Russian returned to the court moments later. Cook won the next three games and Kumantsov withdrew after losing the first point of the fifth game.

"I was just feeling tired in the morning and I think I drank too much caffeine before the match," Kumantsov said. "I took an energy drink and my heart rate got too high. So I was just not able to play because the heart rate is too high and I had to retire."

Cook hopes that he can build off the win and continue to advance his tennis career.

"Every time I can get another win under my belt, it's more confidence and hopefully I can get out the Futures level into Challengers and onwards," he said.

Cook will next play in the BNP Paribas Open from March 9-22 at Indian Wells, Calif. Kumantsov said his next stop is the Alabama Futures which start on March 30 in Mobile, Ala.

Before the singles final, local tennis fans were treated to an entertaining doubles final between the team of American Ruben Gonzales and Swede Andreas Siljestrom and the team of Luis Diaz-Barriga and Antonio Ruiz-Rosales of Mexico. The Gonzales-Siljestrom duo prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (10), [10-4].

Stephen K. Lee covers sports for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4442 or via email at slee@themonitor.com.