MELBOURNE, January 13, 2017

Despite an afternoon of rain and wind organisers were thankful that all players involved on the final day of the 2017 Priceline Pharmacy Kooyong Classic were patient throughout long delays.

The men’s final between world number 11 David Goffin and Croatian Ivo Karlovic was put back nearly five hours before fans saw the Belgian claim his second consecutive Kooyong title in a match reduced to one set.

He proved to be too good for the big-serving world number 20, winning 7-6 in a tiebreaker that was played out as rain started to fall heavier onto the court.

In claiming his second title in as many years the 26-year-old assured tournament director Peter Johnston while giving his speech that he would be back next year in an attempt to equal Andy Roddick’s three consecutive Kooyong wins.

“It’s never easy to wait when it is raining and finally we played a set,” Goffin told reporters after the match holding the trophy.

“So it was nice to play some tennis today and against Ivo it’s always the story of tiebreaks.

“It was a funny tiebreak and it was nice for the crowd, for the people who stayed all day long just to give them some tennis so it was nice.”

Wickmayer Takes Women’s Title

Following that brief contest Yanina Wickmayer from Belgium took on Romanian Sorana Cirstea to decide the women’s championship – the first-time women have competed at the tournament in 23 years.

Yanina Wickmayer (photo: Kooyong Classic)

Wickmayer played well from start and played some powerful shots in a similarly reduced one-set match to win 6-4 and claim the trophy.

“Well it was tough because we were inside the whole day waiting and I had a big practice already this morning as well,” Wickmayer told reporters after receiving the winner’s trophy.

“So it was tough to get into the rhythm and get into the match but I tried to do as good as I could and I tried to get my legs moving because that was pretty much the hardest part.

“I think we both did well going out there trying our best.”

Earlier in the day, Frenchman Gilles Simon was too good for Australian Bernard Tomic in a one-set match that was won 6-3 and decided who would finish third in the men’s championship draw.

RESULTS, 13 January 2017

Gilles Simon (FRA) def Bernard Tomic (AUS)
6-3
David Goffin (BEL) def Ivo Karlovic (CRO)
7-6
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) def Sorana Cirstea (ROM)
6-4