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Karen Khachanov Defeats Gabriel Diallo to win Almaty Crown

Karen Khachanov captured his seventh career title at the Almaty Open. Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Karen Khachanov reinforced his reputation as a convincing closer.

The third-seeded Khachanov grounded maiden finalist Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to win his seventh career title at the Almaty Open.

Khachanov improved to 7-2 in Tour-level finals, collecting his first championship on indoor hard courts since he upset Novak Djokovic to take the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters crown.

The 28-year-old Khachanov, who defeated 18-year-old Czech sensation Jakub Mensik 7-6(12), 6-4, in a dramatic Doha final last February, has now won multiple titles in a season for the second time in his career. Khachanov captured three championships in 2018 when he reached a career-high ranking of No. 8.

Yesterday, Diallo drilled Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 6-2 charging into his first ATP final and continuing a career week that’s seen him crack the Top 100 for the first time.

Today, the 23-year-old Canadian was understandably jittery at the start of his first final. Khachanov converted his fourth break point to score the opening-game break then broke again for a 4-1 lead before snatching the first set.

Credit Diallo for fighting back from a 2-6, 2-4 deficit as he won five of the next six games to snatch the second set and force a decider.

Hitting heavy drives, Khachanov broke at 15 for a 2-1 lead in the third set. Khachanov’s crackling crosscourt backhand helped him break again for 5-2. Khachanov closed out the title on his first championship point.