Title goes to Cilic

Marin Cilic of Croatia kisses the US Open trophy after beating Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the final at Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday. PHOTO: AFP

Marin Cilic clinched his first Grand Slam title Monday, shattering Kei Nishikori's bid to become the first Asian man to win a major with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory in the US Open final.
Cilic, the 14th-seeded 25-year-old, becomes the first Croatian man to win a major since Goran Ivanisevic, now his coach, at Wimbledon in 2001.
It also comes 12 months after he was forced to skip the tournament to serve out a controversial doping ban.
Cilic, playing in his 28th Grand Slam event, is the lowest-ranked champion since Pete Sampras, then 17th in the world, claimed the 2002 title in New York.
But victory was well-deserved with Cilic saving eight of nine break points, firing 17 aces and 38 winners past a weary-looking Nishikori who had defeated three top five players to make his maiden major final -- Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka and world number one Novak Djokovic.
"There has been a lot of hard work in these last few years and especially this last year. I think my team has brought something special to me, especially Goran," said Cilic who, like Nishikori, was making his debut in a major final.
"We've been working really hard but the most important thing that he has brought to me is joy in tennis and always having fun. I enjoyed my best tennis over here and played the best ever in my life."
Cilic also told his fellow professionals that the likes of Djokovic, Roger Federer and 2013 champion Rafael Nadal, absent this year through injury, can be defeated.
"I feel that for all the other players that are working hard, I think this is a big sign that if you're working hard things are going to pay off," he said.
Nishikori admitted he had been outplayed.
"Marin was playing really well today, I couldn't play my tennis. It's a tough loss but I am happy to get to my first final," said Nishikori. "But I will get the trophy next time -- it was a fun two weeks."
Monday's final was the first at a major not to feature either Djokovic, Federer or Nadal since the 2005 Australian Open -- so long ago that it was pre-Twitter.
It was also a battle of contrasting styles between the 5ft 10in (1.78m), 150lbs (68kg) Nishikori and the bigger, heavier 6ft 6in (1.98m), 180lbs (82kg) Cilic who had knocked out five-time champion Federer in the semifinals.