World number 26 Khachanov, who was broken only once all week, dictated against Mannarino and lost just eight points on his serve to wrap up the victory in 55 minutes.
Victory guaranteed a spot in the world’s top 20 when the next edition of the ATP rankings are released today.
“When I was a kid and came to this arena to watch our top players, to ask them for autographs I always dreamt of winning this tournament,” sixth-seeded Khachanov, 22, said at courtside. “Now this day has finally come.”
The victory means the powerful Khachanov is the first Russian winner of the men’s singles title at the Kremlin Cup since Mikhail Youzhny in 2009.
Khachanov has won all three of his ATP finals to date, including a title triumph in Marseille in February.
Mannarino, on the other hand, has suffered defeats in all six of the finals he has played.
First ATP title for
Britain’s Edmund
British number one Kyle Edmund won the first ATP title of his career when he beat Gael Monfils of France 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) in the final of the European Open in Antwerp yesterday.
Edmund, who will rise to a career-high 14th in the world today, lost a set for first the time in the tournament as Monfils made a fast start.
But he remained composed and fought back to win in just under two and a half hours.
The 23-year-old dominated the second-set tiebreak to draw level and then won the third set on another tiebreak before shedding tears of joy.
“I’ve not been able to string together my matches to win tournaments,” Edmund, who made a breakthrough this year by reaching the Australian Open semi-finals, said.
“There’s always been something to let me down. It’s been one of my goals to be more consistent.
“Today I had to really dig deep and it’s great I’ve been able to have this experience and come through. It gives you so much belief and confidence for the next time it happens.”
Edmund had reached his first ATP final in April, losing to Pablo Andujar in Marrakesh, shortly after replacing the injury-hit Andy Murray as British number one.
Tsitsipas wins Stockholm
Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek man to win an ATP title yesterday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ernests Gulbis in Stockholm, ending the Latvian player’s perfect record in finals.
World number 16 Tsitsipas, who had lost both his previous finals this year to Rafael Nadal in Barcelona and Toronto, went one better than Nicholas Kalogeropoulos who was the first Greek to make a tour-level final in Des Moines in 1983.
The 20-year-old Tsitsipas, seeded third, wrapped up victory in 81 minutes and follows in the footsteps of Boris Becker, Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro who also won the Stockholm title.
“I feel happy because I’m the first Greek to win a title. Hopefully many Greek players can achieve something like this,” Tsitsipas told atpworldtour.com.
“Representing my country at such high-level tournaments, being the first Greek to crack the top 100 is very, very special for me.”
Former top-10 player Gulbis, now ranked 145 and who came through qualifying in Stockholm, had been hoping to make it seven titles in seven finals.
“He played a really good match. He had a great week,” said 30-year-old Gulbis on court after playing in his first final since 2014.
“I know it’s a big deal to win your first ATP title, so enjoy it. I wish that it’s not the last one.”
