Kyrgios, Wang capture WTA Acapulco titles

FE Team | Published: March 03, 2019 20:21:23

ACAPULCO, Mexico, Mar 03 (AFP): Australian Nick Kyrgios capped a scintillating run in Acapulco with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over world number three Alexander Zverev Saturday to claim his first ATP title in more than a year.
Kyrgios defeated three top-10 players on the way to the title, saving three match points in a second-round victory over second-ranked Rafael Nadal-owner of 17 Grand Slam titles-and beating No. 9 John Isner in the semis.
He also beat three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals of a drama-filled week that saw him shake off hostile crowds, illness, injuries and moments of malaise-not to mention a post-match scolding from Nadal.
His win over Zverev was a remarkably straightforward affair.
"I just chucked in a lot of drop shots, tried to keep him guessing, that's all you can do," said Kyrgios, a former world number 13 who has slipped to 72nd in the world.
"He's super-fit, so he's going to grind you down so I tried to keep the points short when I could," added Kyrgios, who spent more than nine hours on court over his four prior matches but needed just an hour and a half to dispatch Zverev.
Meanwhile, China's Wang Yafan rallied to capture her first WTA title on Saturday, defeating American Sofia Kenin 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 Saturday to win the Mexico Open women's crown.
World number 65 Wang, playing in her first WTA singles final, outlasted the 35th-ranked American to claim her breakthrough title after two hours and 10 minutes.
The 24-year-old from Nanjing seized a 2-1 lead in the final set by taking advantage of her third break-point chance in the game.
Wang held on her first ace of the match for a 3-1 lead, but surrendered a break on her fourth double fault to allow Kenin to equalise at 3-3.
After Wang held at love to 5-5, she reeled off the last four points of the 11th game to break Kenin and then held serve for the triumph.