CHENNAI: Second seed Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain humbled Daniil Medvedev with a straight-sets victory on Sunday to take his first Chennai Open title, kicking off the new ATP season in style.
The world number 14 overcame the unseeded Russian 6-3, 6-4 in the one hour and 13-minute final in the southern Indian city of Chennai.
Medvedev, 20, was broken in the fourth game of the first set as Bautista Agut set the pace with a 3-1 lead.
The six foot, six inch Medvedev served big but Bautista Agut was clinical as he wrapped up the first set in just over 33 minutes.
Medvedev made a spirited comeback in the second set to stay level at 4-4 but Bautista Agut broke through in the ninth game to edge ahead and clinch the match.
"Today I didn't play with many mistakes. I played aggressive, I served well and I am very happy," Bautista Agut said after the win.
The victory marked Bautista Agut's fifth ATP title after he triumphed twice in 2014 and then again in 2015.
"I know it's very difficult to be a top-10 player. My goal is to be a better player... to improve and work a lot on the things that I need to get better [at]," said Bautista Agut.
The Spaniard, who was playing in his second Chennai Open final after going down to Janko Tipsarevic in 2013, had beaten Frenchman Benoit Paire in the semis on Saturday to book his ticket to the final.
Medvedev, who was appearing in the first ATP final of his professional career, praised his opponent following the loss.
"He played amazing tennis. Roberto played me in every shot of the game, so I cannot even say why I lost," said Medvedev, who received medical attention during the second set over a strained hamstring.
"He was just better. I have to improve on everything," Medvedev said.
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