Wawrinka claims Dubai title after ‘crazy tiebreaker’

Stan Wawrinka won his ninth straight final with a 6-4, 7-6 (15/13) defeat of Marcos Baghdatis to clinch the Dubai ATP title on Saturday after a “crazy tiebreaker”.

The French Open champion from Switzerland claimed the 13th title of his career and second of the season after Chennai, improving to 13-2 in 2016.

The match lasted for almost two hours, with Wawrinka leading 4-1 in the tiebreaker but forced to go the distance as he saved five set points before winning when a Baghdatis return went wide on a fourth match point. “Until 6-all in the tiebreak I was always up with a mini-break. I did I think two double faults and two or three, three quick mistakes,” the winner said.