Alexander Zverev defends Washington Open title
Washington, Aug 6 : Top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany has defeated 19-year-old Alex de Minaur from Australia 6-2, 6-4 to win the Washington Open.
This was Zverev's third tour-level trophy of the season and ninth overall.
Zverev, 21, also became the first man in nearly a decade to win consecutive titles at the hard-court tuneup tournament for the upcoming US Open, Xinhua news agency reported.
Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina won the Washington Open in 2008 and 2009. "It's been a great ride, and hopefully many more to come," Zverev said on Sunday.
"It's been a really special week for me. It's been a great first time here, and I can't wait to come back," added Zverev, who hit six aces and never faced a break point en route to the title.
De Minaur, who began the season at number 208 in the ATP rankings, will crack the top 50 for the first time on Monday. The teenager will soar from number 72 to number 45.
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Rocket from Yemen strikes Tel Aviv, injuring 16, as Palestinians mourn 19 dead in Gaza
Tel Aviv, Dec 21: A rocket fired from Yemen hit an area of Tel Aviv overnight, leaving 16 people slightly injured by shattered glass, the Israeli military said Saturday, days after Israeli airstrikes hit Houthi rebels who have been launching missiles in solidarity with Palestinians.
A further 14 people sustained minor injuries as they rushed to shelters when air raid sirens sounded before the projectile hit just before 4 am Saturday, the military said.
The Houthi rebels issued a statement on the Telegram messaging app saying they had aimed a hypersonic ballistic missile at a military target, which they did not identify.
The attack comes less than two days after a series of Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi rebel-held capital, Sanaa, and port city of Hodeida killed at least nine people. The Israeli strikes were in response to a Houthi attack in which a long-range missile hit an Israeli school building. The Houthis also claimed a drone strike targeting an unspecified military target in central Israel on Thursday.
The Israeli military says the Iran-backed Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and drones during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and say they won't stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Israeli strikes Thursday caused “considerable damage” to the Houthi-controlled Red Sea ports “that will lead to the immediate and significant reduction in port capacity,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The port at Hodeida has been key for food shipments into Yemen in its decade-long civil war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said both sides' attacks risk further escalation in the region and undermine UN mediation efforts.
