Linette downs Giorgi for Bronx title

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina, Aug 25, (RTRS): Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz outdueled top seed Benoit Paire to earn his first ATP title with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win in the Winston-Salem Open final on Saturday.

Hurkacz, 22, steadied himself through a roller coaster affair, which included a brief rain delay after the second set, and came out on top after two hours and nine minutes.

Hurkacz became the first Polish winner of a tour-level event since Wojtek Fibak at WCT Chicago in 1982.

“That is a lot of time (without a Polish champion). I am so glad that I have been able to win an ATP Tour event,” he said.

“I hope many more guys will join me soon and that I will win some more. It means a lot to me and I am glad that I won this tournament here.”

Hurkacz’s sparkling week included wins against four consecutive seeded opponents.

Paire was in search of his third title of the season after wins in Lyon and Marrakech but lost the big points down the stretch.

He was nonetheless satisfied with a solid week ahead of Flushing Meadows.

“For me it was a good week,” said Paire. “Honestly, I could have lost in (my second match) so it was really good to be in the final.”

Meanwhile, Polish qualifier Magda Linette rallied to upset Italy’s Camila Giorgi 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 and claim her first career WTA title at the Bronx Open on Saturday.

World number 80 Linette, playing her eighth match at the US Open warmup, enjoyed a huge boost before her first round match against Australia’s Astra Sharma at Flushing Meadows next week.

Having been 2-0 down in the final set, 27-year-old Linette saved four break points and reeled off four consecutive games to down the hard-hitting Italian and cap one of the finest weeks of her career.