Marin Cilic won his 20th title on the ATP Tour by battling past Taylor Fritz in the final of the St Petersburg Open on Sunday.
A decade on from lifting the trophy for the first time, Cilic outlasted his American opponent 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 in a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 23 minutes.
It took the Croatian to four tournament wins on Russian soil, the 33-year-old having also twice won the crown in Moscow, while it also saw him join truly elite company in the men's game.
Only five other active male players have won 20 or more titles: Roger Federer (103), Rafael Nadal (88), Novak Djokovic (85), Andy Murray (46) and Juan Martin del Potro (22).
"Coming 10 years after winning in 2011 and also winning now, it's so, so special for me, especially this part of my career," said Cilic. "Having now a family, two sons, I want to absolutely dedicate this trophy to my newborn son."
Cilic had the chance to reach 20 titles last week in Moscow, only to lose in straight sets to home favourite Aslan Karatsev.
With 12 aces and 78 per cent of first-serve points won, the former world number three was aggressive in his efforts to make sure this was not another missed opportunity.
After taking the first set, Cilic twice led by a break in the second but allowed Fritz to level the contest and keep alive his hopes of a first title since Eastbourne two years ago.
Fritz went a break ahead in the decider but Cilic battled back to level at 4-4. A double fault from the world number 28 gave Cilic the chance to serve out the contest, and he duly obliged, converting his first match point with a volley.
Novak Djokovic battles past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in French Open marathon
Novak Djokovic fought off a terrific challenge from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to reach the fourth round of the French Open for a 14th consecutive year.
The 7-6 (4) 7-6 (5) 6-2 victory took three hours and 36 minutes, with Djokovic twice a break down in the first set and forced to save a set point in the second.
The 22-time grand-slam champion looked unsettled in windy conditions, while he called the trainer before the third set to have his left thigh massaged, but, as he so often does, he found a way to come out on top.
Djokovic had struggled in his opening set against Marton Fucsovics on Wednesday before breezing through the next two, and it quickly became clear Spaniard Davidovich Fokina would offer a real test.
The 23-year-old, ranked 34, matched his opponent in physical rallies from the baseline and broke for the first time to lead 3-2.
Djokovic hit straight back but was broken again at 5-5 after a game that featured three double faults and a time violation.
Again, Davidovich Fokina was unable to serve it out, though, and Djokovic made him pay for the wasted opportunities by winning a tie-break.
This time the challenge very much continued in the second set as the pair exchanged breaks of serve three times, with Djokovic unable to clinch it at 5-4.
Davidovich Fokina had one chance to break again and level the match in Djokovic’s next service game but he could not take it and the Serbian again came out on top in a tie-break.
Djokovic let his emotions out, roaring and fist-pumping, but the toll the effort had taken became clear when he called the trainer, applying ice to his left thigh and gesturing sarcastically towards the crowd.
Djokovic looked distinctly uncomfortable at times in the third set but he forged ahead early on and did not let Davidovich Fokina back in, giving a weary celebration when the Spaniard’s resistance finally ran out.
“I knew that it’s going to be a very difficult match, a very physical match,” said Djokovic.
“He contested very, very well. He’s an amazing fighter, amazing player. Congratulations to him for fighting. Bad luck but he played a great match.
“Of course a win is a win, maybe a little bit too much, three hours for two sets. I thought, if I would lose the second set, we’d probably play for five hours.
“But you have to be ready. It takes a lot of effort but we all have to believe in ourselves. I’m proud of the performance today for sure.”
It was another day of long matches, with Italian Lorenzo Sonego fighting back from two sets down to defeat seventh seed Andrey Rublev, while Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner saw off Fabio Fognini in five sets.
After his epic victory over Stan Wawrinka, Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis was involved in another lengthy battle with 11th seed Karen Khachanov but was unable to force a decider, losing out 6-4 6-1 3-6 7-6 (5).
Aryna Sabalenka cites mental health concerns after avoiding regular media duties
Aryna Sabalenka did not undertake her usual media duties at the French Open citing mental health concerns after her third-round win over Kamilla Rakhimova.
The second seed was involved in a tense exchange with a Ukrainian journalist on Wednesday over her previous support for Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.
“For many months now I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts,” said Sabalenka.
“These questions do not bother me after my matches. I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches but, on Wednesday, I did not feel safe in the press conference.
“I should be able to feel safe when I do interviews with the journalists after my matches. For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to take myself out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this decision.
“It hasn’t been an easy few days, and now my focus is continue to play well here in Paris.”
Roland Garros organisers claimed Sabalenka talked to a hand-picked group of journalists in a ‘press conference’ after easing past Rakhimova 6-2 6-2, but it is understood all the questions were asked by a WTA employee.
It is not yet clear whether Sabalenka, who is through to the fourth round in Paris for the first time, will attend press conferences for the rest of the tournament.
The Australian Open champion was also asked questions about the war after her first-round victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who refused to shake her hand and was booed off court.
She said afterwards that all Russian and Belarusian athletes were against the war but refused to answer questions from the Ukrainian journalist on Wednesday.
Third seed Jessica Pegula also declined to do a press conference following the disappointment of her 6-1 6-3 loss to 28th seed Elise Mertens.
The American, whose preparations were disrupted by food poisoning, failed to make the quarter-finals for only the second time in the last six grand slams.
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, meanwhile, did not shake hands with Russian opponent Anna Blinkova at the end of her 2-6 6-2 7-5 victory.
Amid more booing from the crowd on Simonne Mathieu, Svitolina, who is married to French player Gael Monfils, gave a thumbs-up and exchanged a few words with Blinkova but did not offer her hand.
Svitolina, in her first grand slam tournament since giving birth to her daughter in October, will next play another Russian, Daria Kasatkina, who has been the most vocal of the Russian and Belarusian competitors in speaking out against the war.
French Open day five: Iga Swiatek eases through as Daniel Altmaier shocks Sinner
Women’s top seed Iga Swiatek eased into the third round of the French Open with victory over Claire Liu.
Coco Gauff set up an intriguing clash with 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, while Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina saw off teenage Czech Linda Noskova.
The match of the day saw German Daniel Altmaier defeat eighth seed Jannik Sinner in five hours and 26 minutes, the fifth longest match in tournament history.
Picture of the dayTweet of the dayQuote of the dayStat of the dayChina on the march
China has been a virtually non-existent presence in men’s tennis in the open era but three players featured in the main singles draw and Zhang Zhizhen, who will play Casper Ruud, is the first through to the third round since 1937.
Fallen seeds
Men: Jannik Sinner (8), Tommy Paul (16), Alex de Minaur (18)
Women: Madison Keys (20), Donna Vekic (22)
Who’s up next?
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Cameron Norrie will try to break new ground at the French Open when he takes on talented young Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
The British number one is yet to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he could face top seed Carlos Alcaraz, who plays Denis Shapovalov in the night session.
Novak Djokovic faces Alejandro Davidovich Fokina while Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are the leading women in action.
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