Nikoloz Basilashvili tops Andrey Rublev to repeat as Hamburg champion
The fourth seed picked up his third ATP singles crown after prevailing in three sets over the Russian.
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — Defending champion Nikoloz Basilashvili beat Andrey Rublev to win the Hamburg European Open for the second straight year on Sunday.
The fourth-seeded Georgian won 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, serving out the final game to love.
Basilashvili is the first player since Roger Federer in 2005 to claim back-to-back Hamburg crowns.
"It looks like I am playing my best tennis here . Just to see my name next to (Roger) means a lot to me," said Basilashvili, who is ranked 16th in the world. "I played my best tennis here and I will come back next year, for sure."
Basilashvili won 81% of his first-serve points and broke Rublev four times.
He also double-faulted six times and was broken three times by the Russian, who is ranked 78th.
"It was a good week for me. For the moment, my best week," Rublev said. "Of course, it is always disappointing to lose in a final, but Nikoloz was playing really well and he deserves it.
"To win two years in a row here is amazing. It is really hard. It is really tough mentally and he did it. It is unbelievable."