Kyrgios beats Nishioka for first ATP title in three years

WASHINGTON – Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios gained his seventh ATP title and first in three years by defeating Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in Sunday’s males’s last on the ATP and WTA Washington Open.

The 27-year-old Australian downed 96th-ranked left-hander Nishioka 6-4, 6-3 for his first ATP title since capturing the 2019 Washington crown.

“It’s emotional for me to be back here again and claim another title,” Kyrgios stated.

Kyrgios, who misplaced to Novak Djokovic final month in his first Grand Slam last, made back-to-back tour-level finals for the first time in his profession and did not permit a service break all week.

“It’s just very emotional for me to see where I was at last year to now. It’s just an incredible transformation,” Kyrgios stated. “I’ve been in some really dark places.

“There are so many individuals who’ve helped me get there however myself, I’ve proven some severe power to simply proceed and simply persevere and get by all these occasions and be capable to nonetheless carry out and win tournaments like this one.”

World number 63 Kyrgios fired 12 aces and 32 winners against four double faults and 20 unforced errors while taking 22 of 25 first-serve points to defeat Nishioka in 81 minutes.

“I got here out with nice vitality,” Kyrgios said. “I knew I had expertise on my facet. I’m actually pleased with myself.”

Kyrgios improved to 4-0 against Nishioka, the most recent prior win coming in the third round of his 2019 Washington title run.

In the women’s final, Liudmila Samsonova won her second career WTA title by beating Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Her first title came at last year’s German Open on Berlin grass.

“It’s like a dream,” Samsonova said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Kyrgios became the first man to sweep singles and doubles titles in the event’s 53-year history – a feat he called “tremendous particular” – by joining American Jack Sock to beat Croatian Ivan Dodig and American Austin Krajicek 7-5, 6-4 in the final.

Nishioka netted a backhand to surrender a break in the opening game and Kyrgios denied the Asian southpaw’s lone break chance with a backhand winner in the sixth game, holding out to claim the first set with his seventh ace.

Kyrgios broke in the first game of the second set when Nishioka sent a forehand long and again in the final game when Nishioka netted a backhand on the Aussie’s third match point.

Nishioka, who captured his only ATP crown in 2018 at Shenzhen, hadn’t won a tour-level match since March until this week, when he upset eighth-ranked Andrey Rublev in the semifinals. He will jump to 54th in Monday’s world rankings, six off his career best.

“At the start of the yr I had a nightmare,” Nishioka said. “I assumed if I can not make the highest 50 once more I’ll retire. Now I feel possibly I can play just a few extra years.”

Kyrgios will leap to 37th in the world rankings. He would have been 15th had world ranking points been awarded at Wimbledon.

KANEPI DROUGHT EXTENDED

World number 60 Samsonova fired 10 aces and 27 winners to beat Kanepi. The 23-year-old Russian came off a six-week layoff after Russian and Belarus players were not allowed at Wimbledon due to the invasion of Ukraine.

“I feel we’re all very offended concerning the scenario. It was a extremely robust month,” said Samsonova, who only got her US visa two weeks ago.

Kanepi, ranked 37th at age 37, was foiled in her bid to end a nine-year WTA title drought. She last won a WTA crown at the 2013 Brussels Open.

“Overall the week was excellent,” Kanepi said. “She served higher than me and possibly that was the important thing.”

Samsonova dispatched three of the highest six seeds, ousting reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu, fifth seed Elise Mertens and sixth seed Kanepi.