Novak Djokovic breezes to his first title since Wimbledon by winning the Tel Aviv Open

SourceBBC

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Top seed Novak Djokovic claimed his first title since winning Wimbledon in July with a dominant display against Marin Cilic at the Tel Aviv Open.

Djokovic, 35, did not face a break point in the first set as he beat second seed Cilic in his first final since his All England Club triumph.

The world number seven never looked likely to drop his first set of the tournament in a 6-3 6-4 victory.

Djokovic had played one other event since his 21st Grand Slam title win.

“I played some very good tennis, I think. I [didn’t] drop a set the entire week,” said the Serb.

“I hadn’t played a tournament in three months so it was really extra motivation for me to really do well, particularly because people have been so friendly and so supportive of me throughout the week.”

Djokovic was ruled out of the US Open in August and September after being unable to enter the United States because of his coronavirus vaccination status.

In Bulgaria, world number 95 Marc-Andrea Huesler beat fifth seed Holger Rune 6-4 7-6 (10-8) in the final of the Sofia Open.

Heavy-serving Swiss Huesler, 26, earned his first ATP Tour title in his maiden singles final with the victory.

In Seoul, Japanese world number 56 Yoshihito Nishioka claimed his second ATP Tour title by beating Canadian fourth seed Denis Shapovalov 6-4 7-6 (7-5).

The 26-year-old recovered from 3-1 behind in the second set to cap a week he called “amazing” following wins over Britain’s Daniel Evans and Norwegian world number two Casper Ruud.

Estonian top seed Anett Kontaveit missed out on glory in her hometown of Tallinn with a 6-2 6-3 defeat by seventh seed Barbora Krejcikova.

2021 French Open champion Krejcikova, 26, ended Kontaveit’s 24-match winning run on indoor hard courts with her fourth career title and first of the season.