Medvedev takes 10th career title with victory in Marseille

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev said it was “great for the self-esteem” to win a 10th career title on the eve of replacing Rafael Nadal as world number two.

The top seed cruised to victory in Marseille on Sunday, beating 93rd-ranked Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in the final.

The 25-year-old will climb above Nadal to number two in the world in the ATP rankings on Monday, behind Novak Djokovic.

Medvedev will be the first player outside the ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray to reach number two since Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt in July 2005.

“I am really happy. I knew that I would become No. 2 no matter what on Monday,” said Medvedev, the runner-up to Djokovic at the Australian Open final last month.

“It is always better when you step up the rankings when you do something great.

“I know that winning here didn’t give me the points to become No. 2, but it is great for the self-esteem that just before becoming No. 2 on Monday, I win a tournament.”

On Sunday, Medvedev fired 13 aces past Herbert who had stunned second seed and two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals.

Six of Medvedev’s titles have come on indoor hard courts -- the biggest of which was at last year’s ATP Finals in London.

“I am really happy about the number 10. It gets me to two digits, something which I dreamt of when I was a kid,” added Medvedev.

“I think it is already a great number, but I am going to try to work more and get some more.

“I really like to play on hard courts. I feel like that is where my game suits me the best. I feel like I know the solutions I have to find during the match and that is what I did today.”

Tormo wins first WTA title: Sara Sorribes Tormo regrouped late to capture her first WTA Tour title Saturday with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over former world number five Eugenie Bouchard in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Spain’s Sorribes, ranked 71st in the world and seeded fourth in the hardcourt tournament, buckled down to win the final four games and seal the victory over the big-hitting Canadian, who remains in search of a second career title seven years after she lifted her lone WTA trophy to date at Nuremberg in 2014.

That was the same year Bouchard reached the Wimbledon final, rising as high as fifth in the world.

But she has since endured years of disappointment, fighting to return to form after suffering a concussion when she slipped in the locker room at the 2015 US Open.

Bouchard was playing in her eighth career final, and her first since Istanbul last year.

The 24-year-old Sorribes was in her first WTA final, and made it count.

The Spaniard took full advantage of 22 unforced errors from Bouchard in the opening set, making just seven herself and saving all seven break points she faced.

She opened the second set by breaking Bouchard, and when they had traded three straight breaks Sorribes held to take a 3-1 lead, appearing to be on her way.

But Bouchard won the next four games, breaking Sorribes at love for a 5-3 lead and a chance to serve to even the match.

Instead, Sorribes roared back, sealing the victory on her first match point with a high volley into open court.

Agence France-Presse