World number two Roger Federer secured his first clay-court title since 2012, after completing a routine victory over third seed Pablo Cuevas at the Istanbul Open final.
The 17-time grand slam champion bagged his 85th career title by defeating the Uruguayan 6-3, 7-5 (13-11) in just one hour and 36 minutes.
He dominated the first set and even raced to a 4-1 lead at one point before winning the set 6-3. But Cuevas rallied back to provide a tougher challenge in the second set, pushing Federer all the way to a tie break. Federer though, remained composed to secure a set-point and converted the second match point to wrap up the final match.
“It’s been a tough week; four tough matches,” said Federer to ATP World Tour.
“I thought the final was my best one. I’m very happy. I’m very proud to be the first champion here at the first-time tournament here in Istanbul.
“It’s been crazy, in a good way, and I hope I can do it again one day. Right now, I’m just happy I was able to win the tournament. It’s always the best feeling for an athlete to be the champion at the end of a long tough week.”
Federer will next be in action at the Madrid Masters, where he could potentially go up against arch rival Rafael Nadal in the semis.
Photo Credit: www.sportskeeda.com
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