American John Isner powered past Alexander Bublik at Newport’s Hall of Fame Open final to claim his 15th ATP title.
The top seed used his blistering serve to overcome scorching conditions – reaching 29.5C yet feeling like 35C – and beat Bublik 7-6(2) 6-3.
4? on the floor! ????@JohnIsner claims his 4th #HallofFameOpen title with a 7-6(2) 6-3 victory over Alexander Bublik. pic.twitter.com/62zBAmwbtd
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 21, 2019
The 34-year-old American’s victory on the grass was his fourth at Newport, Rhode Island, after winning the event in 2011, 2012 and 2017.
“My very first ATP Tour event was here in 2007 and I didn’t enjoy the courts that much back then because I didn’t know how to play on them,” Isner told atptour.com. “To say that I’ve won this event four times isn’t something I thought would be possible.”
The 22-year-old Bublik, the seventh seed, was playing in his first ATP final.
John Isner to Alexander Bublik:
“It was a lot of fun to play against you today. You’re very quirky—I mean that in a very sincere way. You are fantastic for the game. We all hope you continue to have great results in the future, because guys like you keep tennis exciting.”
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 21, 2019
Isner was sidelined from April through June after breaking his left foot in the second set of the Miami final, where he lost to Roger Federer.
Fiona Ferro has beaten her friend and French club teammate Alize Cornet 6-1 2-6 6-1 in the Ladies Open Lausanne final to win her first WTA singles title.
The world No.98 plays for the same club in Nice as No. 48 Cornet, who described her as “like my little sister on the tour.”
Disapointed not to have this beautiful trophee again in my hands but thank you @WTA_Lausanne for an amazing week. I had such a great time and feel very grateful to be able to play in the final again this year ????
Félicitations @fioferro pour ton 1er titre ???? pic.twitter.com/bVMWfcCAec— Alize Cornet (@alizecornet) July 21, 2019
Ferro clinched the title with her seventh break of serve from nine chances when Cornet sent a forehand long on Sunday.
Third-seeded Cornet was the defending champion, though the clay-court event was played last year in the ski resort of Gstaad.
The 22-year-old Ferro was playing her first final on tour, while Cornet dropped to a career record of 6-7 in title matches.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Nicolas Jarry won his first ATP Tour final by beating Juan Ignacio Londero 7-6(7) 6-4 at the Swedish Open in Bastad.
Jarry who did not drop a set during the clay-court tournament, served 10 aces and converted both of his two break points to edge out his Argentinian opponent in one-and-a-half hours.
Magic moment! ????@NicoJarry claims his first ATP title at Swedish Open Tennis with a 7-6(7) 6-4 win over Juan Ignacio Londero in Bastad. pic.twitter.com/RLsRcftFVK
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 21, 2019
Chilean 23-year-old Jarry squandered a 3-0 first-set lead and saved two set points at 6-4 down in the tie-break before clinching it 9-7 with an ace.
He made the decisive break at 3-3 in the second set and maintained his composure, holding serve at 5-4 up with a forehand into the corner on his second match point.
Kazakh ace Elena Rybakina has won the Burcharest Open final 6-2 6-0 against Patricia Maria Tig to claim her first WTA title.
She became the 10th player to collect a maiden WTA Tour title this year.
The 20-year-old world No.106 was in complete control in Sunday’s final against Romanian home hope Tig as she fired 30 winners against only 14 unforced errors.
Elena Rybakina is the @BRDOpen champion! ????
She moves past Tig, 6-2, 6-0 and picks up her first ever WTA title ???? pic.twitter.com/E25ywHW5VF
— WTA (@WTA) July 21, 2019
The unseeded Rybakina did not drop a set throughout the clay-court tournament, becoming the fourth player to achieve that feat this season following Sofia Kenin in Hobart, Ash Barty in Birmingham and Karolina Pliskova in Eastbourne.
Unranked qualifier Tig, who was out of the game for the last two years due to injuries and maternity leave, had produced the upset of the tournament by beating top seed and world No.11 Anastasija Sevastova in the round of 16.
Serbian Dusan Lajovic eased to victory at the Croatia Open in Umag to also collect his maiden singles tour title.
The fourth seed was the heavy favourite heading into the final against Hungarian qualifier Attila Balazs.
Lajovic secured victory with 7-5 7-5 win at the Goran Ivanisevic Stadium, securing his first title at the second attempt after his loss to Fabio Fognini in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters in April.
Dusan DOES IT! ????@Dutzee claims his maiden ATP title at @CroatiaOpenUmag with a 7-5 7-5 victory over Attila Balazs. pic.twitter.com/uGfaeA53ZF
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 21, 2019
“It was a match that I’ll remember for the rest of my career,” Lajovic told atptennis.com.
“I couldn’t be happier that I won. I had to work for every point, so I’m tired now, but also relieved to have to won my first title.”
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