Melzer home hero in Vienna

Melzer: Home hero

I can't find the right words to describe my emotions. I am over the moon. I am very proud to win here

Jurgen Melzer
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Jurgen Melzer dealt a blow to Marin Cilic's bid to reach the ATP year-end finals by beating the Croatian to the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy 6-4 6-3.

World number 35 Melzer was the first home player to lift the trophy since Horst Skoff beat Thomas Muster in 1988, with the victory marking the seventh seed's second career title after triumphing in Bucharest three years ago.

"This is unbelievable, to beat Cilic for this title is really a great accomplishment. I'm really happy," said 28-year-old Melzer, who suffered pain all week after treatment for a heel injury.

"I'm really just so pleased to be able to win it at home. I'm really happy. This is the best thing to happen to me in my career.

"I can't find the right words to describe my emotions. I am over the moon. I am very proud to win here.

"I'm ending my season really well, I'll be in the Top 30 by the end of the year."

Underdog Melzer, encouraged by the support of a success-starved home crowd, secured his victory in just over 90 minutes, serving up just one ace but making triumphant salvage efforts on the five break points he faced.

Cilic, ranked 13 in the world, will now need exceptional results from his next two events to earn one of the two remaining places in this month's eight-man Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Superhuman

Sitting a provisional 13th in the race for London, Cilic will face his next test at the Swiss Indoors in Basel and subsequently in the Paris Masters, needing a superhuman effort in both if he is to secure a career-first place in the finals.

"I've been pleased with my game all week," said Cilic, who secured two trophies this season in Chennai and Zagreb.

"Jurgen started to play very well after the first couple of games so obviously he deserved to win.

"I really have to produce something for the rest of the season.

"I have a lot of things to improve in my game, just about everything. These last two weeks will be very important for me. I also need to add some extra kilos.

"I really want to do everything to try and get to London."

"I've showed this season that I have the game to face the big guys - now I have to prove that."

Cilic, who entered the tournament as a wild card when Juan Martin Del Potro withdrew due to injury, looked dominant early on in the match, winning seven straight points but missing three break chances in the second game.

Melzer broke the Croatian at 3-3, despite not scoring a point in his first three service games.

The Austrian then saved two break points while serving for the set at 5-4 before Cilic sent a forehand return into the net on set point.

Melzer served faultlessly in the second set, while Cilic missed more forehands from the baseline.

The Croat fought back from 0-30 in the final game and salvaged two match points, but Melzer remained composed under the pressure until Cilic eventually hit a backhand wide to hand the win to the Austrian.

Cilic is seeded fourth in Basel as a wild card entry and opens his campaign against German Philipp Petzschner, while Melzer has withdrawn from the tournament to recover fully from his foot injury.