Troicki wins Sydney title in first-ever qualifier final

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DPA ©

Viktor Troicki of Serbia holds the men's singles trophy after defeating Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan

 Viktor Troicki won the first ATP final ever played
between two qualifiers as he beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-2, 6-3 on
Saturday in the final of the Sydney International.
The Serb who came back from a one-year ban for a disciplinary
infraction after postponing a post-match drug test in 2013, spent
just over an hour in writing a line into the record books.
Kazakh Kukushkin, coached by his wife, came to the court with
straight-set wins this week in all seven of his matches.
Troicki is the fist qualifier to win the Sydney title since Jarkko
Nieminen in 2012; the winner now owns two career titles after
claiming Moscow honours in 2010 and was playing his first final since
Moscow, 2011.
Troicki claimed victory after breaking Kukushkin twice per set. The
Kazakh, perhaps trying to slow the pace of the match, took a medical
timeout for his left thigh trailing a set and 4-1. Kukushkin broke
back for 3-4 before losing his serve a game later on a forehand
error.
Troicki, a 2011 Sydney finalist, served out victory a game later.
"We both came from the qualies. It was a tough event for both of us,"
said the winner. "We also play out matches in Melbourne on Monday, so
it's all non-stop."
Troicki, whose ranking had fallen past 800 when he returned to the
game last July, now stands 92nd and is set to rise after his title
performance.