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Ivashka beats Ymer in Winston-Salem Open for 1st tour title

Posted August 28, 2021 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Ilya Ivashka, of Belarus, holds up the trophy after his win over Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, in the finals of the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) The Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Ilya Ivashka beat Mikael Ymer 6-0, 6-2 on Saturday in the Winston-Salem Open to become the first player from Belarus to win an ATP Tour singles title in 18 years.

Ranked 63rd in the world, the 27-year-old Ivashka is the lowest-ranked champion in the event's 10-year history, and the sixth player this season ranked outside the top 50 to win an ATP Tour title.

Max Mirnyi was the last Belarusian winner - in 2003 at Rotterdam

Ivashka lost only one set in six tournament matches, with that one coming in the second round. He beat top-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarterfinals.

Ivashka held serve throughout the final while breaking Ymer three times.

The 22-year-old Ymer, ranked 90th, was the first player from Sweden to reach an ATP Tour singles final since 2011.

The hard-court tournament is a tune-up event for the U.S. Open, the year's last Grand Slam tournament that starts Monday in New York.

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Ilya Ivashka, of Belarus, hits to Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, in the finals of the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) The Associated Press

Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, hits to Ilya Ivashka, of Belarus, in the finals of the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) The Associated Press

Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, hits to Ilya Ivashka, of Belarus, during the finals of the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) The Associated Press

Ilya Ivashka, of Belarus, holds the trophy after his win over Mikael Ymer, of Sweden, in the finals of the Winston-Salem Open tennis tournament Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) The Associated Press

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