#NextGenATP Russian Andrey Rublev captured his first ATP World Tour title on Sunday as he defeated fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi 6-4, 6-2 in the final of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag.

“It’s amazing. I have no words to explain it, especially after this tough week,” said Rublev. “Now I’m here and it’s amazing.”

It caps a dream week for the 19-year-old Rublev, who had beaten third seed and defending champion Fabio Fognini in the quarter-finals and home hope Ivan Dodig in the last four to reach his first ATP World Tour final. The Moscow native had fallen in the final round of qualifying, but earned a spot in the main draw as a lucky loser when Borna Coric was forced to withdraw.

Rublev is the seventh lucky loser to win an ATP World Tour title and the first to do so since Rajeev Ram triumphed in Newport in 2009. The right-hander earns 250 Emirates ATP Rankings points, which will take him to a new career-high on Monday.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/rublev-lorenzi-umag-2017-final

Tributes are being paid to Australian tennis great Mervyn Rose, a two-time major singles champion, who has died aged 87.

Rose, a star of the 1950s prior to the open era, won the Australian Championship in 1954 and captured the French Championship title four years later.

The Coffs Harbour-born Rose also claimed the Davis Cup twice (1951, 1957) as part of Australia’s squad.

Rose, who was ranked three in the world when an unofficial rankings list was compiled in 1958, also claimed doubles titles at the Australian and US Championships, as well as Wimbledon.

He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001 and Australian Hall of Fame a year later.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-25/australian-two-time-major-singles-champion-mervyn-rose-dies/8740664

Yuichi Sugita was a man on a mission on Saturday at the Antalya Open, downing Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 7-6(4) for his first ATP World Tour title.

Sugita joined an exclusive club in lifting his maiden trophy, becoming just the third Japanese player to ever win on the circuit, alongside Shuzo Matsuoka and Kei Nishikori. He is also the fourth first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year, needing one hour and 29 minutes to fight past Mannarino on a searing hot Saturday afternoon in Antalya.

Source: ATP

Roger Federer as ruthless as he had to be – and as lovely to watch as ever – took only an hour and 41 minutes to win his eighth Wimbledon title, 14 years after his first, and left his wounded opponent, Marin Cilic, in a bedazzled heap on Centre Court.

“It’s magical,” Federer said courtside. “I can’t believe it yet. It’s too much. I kept on believing and dreaming and here I am today for my eighth title. I hope to be back to defend it next year.”

Those were sweet words for his millions of followers, who must secretly wonder when the fairytale will end.

It is the Swiss’s 19th slam title, his second of the year after beating Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final, and, there is no reason to say that the youngest 35-year-old in sport cannot go on to win the final major of the year, at Flushing Meadows in September, and finish 2017 where he has spent so much time, as No1 in the world.

It would be a Federer grand slam, of sorts, with an asterisk beside it for missing the French Open, where Nadal triumphed for the 10th time. The Spaniard did not drop a set in Paris. Federer did not drop a set on Church road. Those are statements of dominance on their preferred surfaces that are impossible to deny.

Cilic, a virtual one-legged bystander once his left foot gave up on him after the first set, said tearfully: “I’ve never given up in all my career. I gave my best, and that is all I could do I had an amazing journey here, played the best tennis of my life.”

Federer paid tribute to his stricken foe. “It is cruel some times but he fought well and he is a hero,” the Swiss said. “He should be really proud.”

Playing tennis every bit as good as when in his pomp, Federer might yet go on to match Nadal’s French Open La Decima at the All England Club. He said before the final he feels no urge to retire and with his peers Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic showing distinct signs of frailty, he will very much fancy his chances.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/16/roger-federer-marin-cilic-wimbledon-mens-singles-final-match-report

Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France won his first title on clay when he defeated Tomas Berdych 7-6 (2), 7-5 in the Lyon Open final on Saturday.

Tsonga dropped just three points behind his first serve, hit 13 aces, and saved all two break points to down his third-seeded Czech opponent.

Tsonga’s victory came a day before the French Open starts in Paris. No Frenchman has won the Roland Garros title since Yannick Noah lifted the Mousquetaires Cup in 1983.

Following the birth of his first child and a right shoulder injury, Tsonga played only four matches in two months before Lyon. He won back-to-back indoor titles in February in Rotterdam and Marseille, but had to withdraw from his second-round match in Madrid and from the Rome tournament because of his injury.