BASTAD: Andrey Rublev beat Casper Ruud in straight sets to claim the Swedish Open title in Bastad. Russia’s world number seven, 25, defeated Norway’s Ruud 7-6 (7-3) 6-0 to win his second title of the year. The 25-year-old, who captured the Masters 1000 title in Monte-Carlo in April, won the 14th ATP title of his career. “It is always great to win a title,” second seed Rublev said. “It is a special feeling and the final was played in tough conditions, but I was lucky.” The clay-court events are traditionally played after Wimbledon and before the US hard-court swing begins. World number four Ruud, 24, won the Bastad title in 2021 but could not repeat that success, beaten by Rublev who has already won a title on clay this season. Elsewhere, Pedro Cachin, 28, won his first career title beating 35-year-old Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 3-6 6-0 7-5 in the Swiss Open final. At the Hungarian Grand Prix event in Budapest, 19-year-old Russian Maria Timofeeva won her first career title in her maiden WTA Tour main-draw appearance with victory over Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl.