Kwon defeats Duckworth to claim maiden title at Astana Open
The battle of the first-time ATP Tour finalists went the way of South Korean Kwon Soon-woo as James Duckworth went down in straight sets.
Kwon Soon-woo claimed his maiden ATP Tour title with a straight-sets defeat of James Duckworth at the Astana Open.
The South Korean came out on top in the battle of the unseeded first-time finalists on Sunday, winning 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 in Nur-Sultan.
Kwon won 86 per cent of points behind his first serve and came from behind in both sets to be crowned champion.
Australian Duckworth failed to convert three set points in a tie-break and Kwon made him pay, grasping his first opportunity to go a set up.
Kwon was broken in the first game of the second set, but the battling world number 82 hit straight back to draw level.
Duckworth, who had not dropped a set en route to the final, was broken again to trail 4-2 and he was unable to find a way back as the 23-year-old Kwon celebrated his finest hour.
