ASTANA, November 27, 2016

Top seed Yoshihito Nishioka is the champion of the $50,000 Astana Challenger “Capital Cup”, one of three tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour to close the 2016 season this week. The World No. 101 from Japan defeated second favourite Denis Istomin 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 in Saturday’s final.

Nishioka sent down 11 aces, winning 68 per cent of his first service points and converted four of his seven break point chances to secure victory in two hours and 31 minutes. The 21-year-old clinched his third ATP Challenger career title, his second of the year after he had hoisted the trophy in Winnetka.

Nishioka takes away $7,200 in prize money as well as 90 ATP Ranking points, which allows him to finish the season inside the top 100.

On Friday, Kazakhs Timur Khabibulin and Aleksandr Nedovyesov captured the doubles title with a 7-6, 6-2 triumph over Mikhail Elgin of Russia and Denis Istomin. The encounter lasted one hour and 11 minutes.