Novak Djokovic defeats Stefanos Tsitsipas in Astana Open final to win his 90th career ATP title
Novak Djokovic edged past Stefanos Tsitsipas to win the Astana Open final in a thrilling final on Saturday.
The Serbian, who had won seven titles in a row, ended a 34-match winning streak in the men’s singles and became the first man to win the title since Stanislas Wawrinka in 2015.
Djokovic had lost in the first set to Tsitsipas in two previous meetings, but stormed back to oust the Greek 30 minutes into the final.
The world number one broke Tsitsipas for the first time in the third game of the set and closed out the 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-0 win in the fifth in the third-set tie break to seal his 90th title in his 274th career match.
It saw Djokovic extend his 24-match winning streak to 29 when he beat Tsitsipas in the semis in April at the Brisbane International.
And the third-seeded Serb became the first player from a country outside of Europe to win the title since Wawrinka in 2014.
Djokovic’s title success continued a brilliant run for the Serb, who has won his last seven titles since winning the Australian Open in 2018.
The 24-year old, who has won 40 grand slams in his career, lifted his fourth US Open men’s singles title at Flushing Meadows in June after beating Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Djokovic has never been past the final in a grand slam and he took the first set in the opening rubber against Tsitsipas.
But he recovered well and