Bad boy Kyrgios wins first ATP title

Paris, February 23
Australian Nick Kyrgios, widely fancied to be the next superstar of world tennis, demonstrated just why as he claimed his first ATP title in the Marseille Open by beating Croatian Marin Cilic 6-2 7-6(3) on Sunday.
The promising 20-year-old with the brash attitude, big game and outlandish talent hammered down 17 aces to earn the scalp of former US Open champion Cilic in the final. It concluded a dramatic breakthrough week for Kyrgios, who had previously garnered almost as many headlines for his on-court misbehaviour as his obvious rare ability.
The man from Canberra also beat two top-10 ranked players in Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych plus the 12th-ranked Cilic, and did not lose a set in the tournament, his serve being unbroken in 47 games. Kyrgios, whose ranking of 41 will shoot up, was playing in his second ATP final after finishing runner-up in Estoril last year but his maiden victory seems sure to be the first of many.
He is the first player under the age of 21 to down top-10 players in consecutive matches since Juan Martin del Potro beat Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer to lift the 2009 US Open crown. “I played my first final last year and was looking for my first title,” a delighted Kyrgios said.
“But I didn’t really expect to win this title this week after having a couple of weeks off. But from the first round I started playing really well and just gained confidence as I kept winning matches.”
Kyrgios had to withdraw from a tournament in Rotterdam the previous week with an elbow injury but showed no signs of discomfort as he put Cilic under pressure from the start.
Querrey ends drought
Delray Beach (USA): American Sam Querrey won his first ATP World Tour title in four years when he defeated fellow countryman Rajeev Ram 6-4 7-6(6) at the Delray Beach Open. The 28-year-old Querrey had not won since Los Angeles in 2012 and had to overcome a break in both sets to claim his eighth career title. — Reuters
Italian Schiavone wins Rio title
Rio de Janeiro: Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone, who turns 36 in June, won her first title since 2013 on Sunday when she defeated American Shelby Rogers 2-6 6-2 6-2 in the Rio de Janeiro Open final. The Italian former world No. 4, now ranked 132, came back from a set and a break down to defeat her 23-year-old opponent and claim her seventh career title. The victory was a welcome relief for Schiavone, who missed out on a 62nd consecutive Grand Slam main draw appearance when she fell in the qualifying round at the Australian Open. It also guarantees a return to the world top-100 for the veteran who is in her third decade on tour. “I wrote this speech this morning, regardless of the result, because I wanted to share my joy with you,” Schiavone said as she addressed the crowd in Portuguese. “Today is a happy day and I’m very emotional because Brazil is such a wonderful country. Your smile fulfilled my days here.” In the men’s final, Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas, who knocked out Rafael Nadal in the semis, beat Argentine Guido Pella 6-4 6-7(5) 6-4.