Marin Cilic clinched his first title of the season courtesy of a three-set victory over Janko Tipsarevic at the St Petersburg Open.
Croatian battles to sixth career title at St Petersburg
Croatia's Marin Cilic clinched his first title of the season and sixth of his career after a three-set victory over Janko Tipsarevic in the final of the St Petersburg Open.
Cilic, seeded fourth for the indoor hardcourt event, overcame a second set wobble to prevail 6-3 3-6 6-2 on Sunday.
Playing in his fourth final of 2011, world No.22 Cilic broke in the sixth game of the first set, which he took without further alarm.
In-form Tipsarevic, who won his second career title in Moscow last week, broke early in the second set to level, but was immediately under pressure in the deciding set.
Errors
The Serb saved two break points before Cilic broke him with a precise backhand down the line in the sixth game.
On his next serve at 5-2 down, Tipsarevic trailed 15-40, but fired an ace and served a winner to save two match points.
But, on the subsequent deuce, the 13th-ranked Serb struck wide and Cilic converted his third match point with a backhand winner.
"I played the first two sets a little bit up and down and had some unforced errors," Cilic said afterwards.
"But I played my best tennis in the third set. I lost three finals this year and all of them were in three sets. So today, when the match went into the third set, I was really into it to win."
