Chennai, India – World number nine Janko Tipsarevic won the ATP Chennai Open with a masterful fightback to defeat young Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the final on Sunday.
The second-seeded Serb came back strongly after losing the first set to beat the 80th-ranked Agut 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 in an hour and 49
minutes at the Nungambakkam tennis stadium.
Tipsarevic conceded just four games in the last two sets to end the giant-killing run by the 24-year-old Spaniard, who defeated top-seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
Tipsarevic won the Chennai title for the first time after four unsuccessful attempts, including a loss to big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in last year's final.
Tipsarevic earned $69,500 and 250 ranking points for the morale-boosting win ahead of the season's first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 14.
Agut took home $36,650 and 150 points after making his first-ever tour final.
Agut gained early control of the match when he broke Tipsarevic's serve in the second game and then held his own comfortably to run away with the first set in 36 minutes.
Tipsarevic hit back with a break in the second game of the second set and then broke the Spaniard again in the fourth on way to drawing level in the match.
The Serb played safe but solid tennis in the decider and secured breaks in the third game and the ninth that helped him wrap up the match. – Sapa-AFP