Rublev wins first career crown

Russian lucky loser Andrey Rublev claimed his fi rst career title on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-2 win over 35-year-old Italian veteran and fourth seed Paolo Lorenzi in the Umag claycourt fi nal. Rublev, 19, had lost in the fi nal round of qualifying last weekend, but earned a spot in the main draw when Borna Coric was forced to withdraw with injury. Th e world number 74, who will break the top 50 next week, made the most of his reprieve by seeing off third seed and defending champion Fabio Fognini in the quarterfi nals and home hope Ivan Dodig in the semis. Moscow-based Rublev is the seventh lucky loser to win an ATP World Tour title and the fi rst to do so since Rajeev Ram in Newport in 2009. Rublev has been in a rich vein of form in recent weeks, reaching his fi rst quarterfi nal on grass in Halle and making the second round as a qualifi er at Wimbledon. Four months ago, he was ranked at 130.