Zverev beats Auger-Aliassime to clinch indoor title in Cologne

Top seed Alexander Zverev bagged his first ATP crown of the year after beating Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3 6-3 to lift the bett1HULKS Indoor title in Cologne on Sunday.

The German, who lost the US Open final last month and exited the French Open in the fourth round, needed only an hour and 20 minutes to get the better of the 20-year-old Canadian thanks to a dominant service game.

Zverev, 23, won 80 per cent of his first service points and an overwhelming 88 per cent on his second serve while he also converted four of 10 break points to hand Auger-Aliassime -- who is still searching for his first title -- a sixth defeat in a final.

“I had a very tough final in New York and the next final I played here I wanted to come out and obviously play my best tennis,” Zverev said.

“Felix, you’re an unbelievable player. I know it doesn’t mean much right now, but I’m sure you’re not only going to win one title, you’re going to win multiple titles in your career, bigger titles than this.”

Victory gave Zverev his 12th ATP title and his third on home soil after he won the Munich Open in 2017 and 2018.

Zverev has already qualified for the season-ending ATP Finals in London next month but will remain in Cologne for the bett1HULKS Championships next week where he is again the top seed.

Rublev reigns supreme in St Petersburg Open: Andrey Rublev went level with Novak Djokovic as a four-time title winner in 2020 when he defeated Borna Coric 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to claim the St Petersburg Open on Sunday.

The 22-year-old Rublev added the title in Russia to trophies in Doha, Adelaide and Hamburg.

Only world number one Djokovic can boast a similar haul from the truncated season.

Rublev extended his winning streak to 10 matches on home soil, having lifted the Kremlin Cup trophy in Moscow last year.

The world number 10 also boosted his hopes of reaching the ATP Finals for the first time.

With just two places left in the eight-man field for the London season finale, Rublev is 249 points ahead of Diego Schwartzman, who currently occupies the final qualification position.

Djere beats Cecchinato in Sardinia Open final: Serbia’s Laslo Djere beat Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 7-6(3) 7-5 on Sunday to win his second career ATP title at the Sardinia Open, the final claycourt tournament of the year.

Djere capitalised on Cecchinato’s poor second serve to convert four break points in the match while the Italian also made a slew of errors in the tiebreak to hand his opponent the advantage.

The Serb started the second set on the front foot and nearly took a 3-0 lead before the home favourite mounted a comeback.

Djere lost some of his rhythm and made a few errors himself but kept his nerve before eventually breaking Cecchinato in the final game.

Cecchinato was looking to become the first Italian to win a title on home soil in 14 years but took solace in the fact that his run to the final would see him enter the top 100 in the rankings.

“I’m very happy for this,” he said. “I stayed very focused on my game during the match from the first to the last point. There are so many positive things from the past few weeks.”

Djere, the world number 74, is the third Serbian to win an ATP title this year after world number one and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic (four titles) and 21-year-old Miomir Kecmanovic, who captured his maiden title in Kitzbuehel.

Agencies