Russian Andrey Rublev on Sunday won his second title of the season at Bastad with a straight sets win over top seed Casper Ruud.
The second seed won through 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 against the Norwegian world number four for his 14th career title and second this season after the Monte Carlo Masters in April.
After a tight first set Rublev, 25, took control of the tie, winning 80 percent of his first-serve points to seal victory after one hour 33 minutes.
Despite being a clay-court specialist with nine of his 10 titles, including Bastad in 2021, on the surface, Ruud was unable to find a solution to the power of Rublev’s game.
“It is always great to win a title,” Rublev said. “At the end of the day, we have to lose almost every week, so this is one of two titles this year. It is a special feeling and the final was played in tough conditions, but I was lucky to have them.
“Casper hits with spin a lot, to play high and with this weather the ball did not really jump high and I think it helped me a bit. On top of that I played really well today.,” he added.
Earlier this year Rublev clinched the biggest trophy of his career when he triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Monte-Carlo. He has now won 14 tour-level crowns.
Croatia down Switzerland to clinch Hopman Cup title
Croatia’s Borna Coric battled past Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi 6-1 6-4 yesterday to seal a 2-0 victory in the Hopman Cup final that earned his country only their second title in the mixed-gender team competition.
Coric’s victory followed Donna Vekic’s comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over Celine Naef and means Croatia become the first team to lift the trophy following the tournament’s return to the tennis calendar after a four-year absence.
Switzerland are among the most successful countries in the event – which began in 1989 and was named after Australian great Harry Hopman – having won four titles including the 2019 crown on the back of the now-retired Roger Federer’s heroics.
Without the seasoned Belinda Bencic due to withdrawal, the young Swiss team scored victories over Denmark and France to top Group A this year but ran out of steam against Croatia in the title clash on the claycourts of Nice.
World number 15 Coric raced through the opening set in 31 minutes and recovered from an early loss of serve in the next to close out the win and break Swiss hearts.
Earlier yesterday, Vekic exchanged breaks with Naef early in the first set of the opening match of the tie, before the more experienced world number 22 pounced on her Swiss opponent’s serve in the eighth game en route to wrapping up the set.