Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The 2019 Puerto Vallarta Open presentado por la Afición wrapped up on May 5 with Sebastian Ofner, the No. 5 seed from Austria, defeating No. 14 seed John-Patrick Smith of Australia 7-6(8), 3-6, 6-3 in Sunday's singles final to win his second ATP Challenger trophy, $18,000 in prize money, and 110 ATP-Ranking points.

Ofner sent down nine aces, winning 76 per cent of his first service points to secure victory in exactly two hours of play. The 22-year-old was ruthless in reaching the championship, taking out Frenchman Vincent Millot, Roberto Quiroz of Ecuador, compatriot Lucas Miedler and Mirza Basic from Bosnia and Herzogvina en route to the title match.

Later in the day, Matt Reid and John-Patrick Smith clinched the doubles title. The No. 3 seeded Australians beat Gonzalo Escobar from Ecuador and Luis David Martinez of Venezuela 7-6(10), 6-3. The encounter lasted one hour and 20 minutes.

But the big winners were Puerto Vallarta and the organizers and founders of the Puerto Vallarta Open, Javier Romero, David Davila, and Javier Ramirez, who were presented with the 2018 ATP Challenger of the Year award in front of the sold-out crowd at Parque Parota on April 29, 2019.

But the accolades didn't end there. On May 5, atptour.com published a glowing tribute to both the city and the Puerto Vallarta Open tennis tournament. Here are a few highlights:

"Work hard. Play hard.

It's a simple philosophy, but one that is at the core of the Puerto Vallarta Open presentado por La Afición. On the ATP Challenger Tour, the most successful tournaments often feature a common thread: engage the fans with an elite tennis showcase in a premier setting. Both on and off-court entertainment creates a first-rate experience in a festive atmosphere.

In Puerto Vallarta, they have taken that concept to the next level, making it a world-class experience for the players as well. With the sun glistening off the majestic Mexican waters, it's easy to mistake the tournament for a relaxing week at the beach. But that's exactly what tournament founders Javier Romero, David Davila and Javier Ramirez had in mind.

Supported by the tourism bureau of Puerto Vallarta, the tournament provides world-class hospitality, including activities around the city.

...the attention to detail in Puerto Vallarta is exceptional. The pre-match walk-ons are akin to the Nitto ATP Finals at The O2, with fog machines, flashing lights and rock music greeting the night session competitors. The players are treated like rock stars and the fans are given an up-close view of the action in an intimate setting.

With the tournament fast becoming the standard on the ATP Challenger Tour, it has already established itself as an integral piece of the tennis presence in not only Puerto Vallarta, but Mexico as a whole."

Read the full tribute, "Puerto Vallarta A Tropical Oasis On The Challenger Tour," HERE.