ISTANBUL — Top-seeded Roger Federer claimed his 85th title Sunday with a 6-3, 7-6 (11) win over Pablo Cuevas in the final of the Istanbul Open. The 17-time Grand Slam winner fended off strong resistance from the third-seeded Uruguayan, who saved four match points. Federer, who claimed his first title on clay since winning in Madrid in 2012, broke for a 4-3 lead in the second set but dropped his serve immediately after hitting a double fault and missing two forehands. The Swiss continued to struggle with consistency in the tiebreaker but a superb backhand volley earned him a fifth match point that he converted when Cuevas sent a forehand in the net. It was Federer's third title this season following victories in Brisbane and Dubai on hard court. Gasquet stops Kyrgios Richard Gasquet defeated Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 6-2 to win the Estoril Open Sunday, ending the Australian's hopes of a first tour title. The Frenchman, ranked 28th after suffering a series of back injury problems, lost the final at the Portuguese venue in 2007 and 2012. But Gasquet made up for past disappointments as he schooled 20-year-old seventh seed Kyrgios in 63 minutes, never facing a break point until he saved three to take a lead of a set and 5-1. The fifth-seeded French player claimed his first trophy on clay since Nice in 2010 on the first of three match points. The win marked his 12th career title as he also avenged his loss to Kyrgios last year at Wimbledon when the Australian saved nine match points in their second round tie. Munich final postponed World No. 3 Andy Murray will have to wait a bit longer at his first shot at a clay court title after the Munich final Sunday against Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber was postponed for a day due to rain. After a four-hour delay to the start because of the bad weather, the top seed was trailing two-time champion Kohlschreiber 3-2 in the first set when play was suspended after 23 minutes with rain setting in again. Halep, Bouchard out World No. 2 Simona Halep crashed to a shock 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 defeat to France's Alize Cornet, whilst Eugenie Bouchard's slump continued in the first round of the Madrid Open Sunday. However, there were no such problems for world No. 1 Serena Williams or defending champion Maria Sharapova who both eased through in straight sets. Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard's alarming loss of form continued as she lost a sixth consecutive match to the Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova 6-0, 3-6, 3-6. Williams moved to 21-0 on the year with a 6-0, 6-1 destruction of fellow American Madison Brengle in under an hour on court. Sharapova showed no signs of her recent struggles with form and fitness as she beat Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 6-3. Fourth seed Petra Kvitova had to come from a set down to see off Belarus's Olga Govortsova 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Caroline Wozniacki continued her encouraging form of late with a comfortable 6-3, 6-0 win over Australia's Jarmila Gajdosova. The Dane's conqueror in the final in Stuttgart last weekend, Angelique Kerber, suffered an early exit, though, as the German lost out 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to former US Open champion Samantha Stosur. There was also plenty for the home fans to cheer as 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro and world number 20 Garbine Muguruza booked their places in the second round with straight sets wins over Zarina Diyas and Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor respectively. — Agencies
