Paolo Lorenzi beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel to capture his first ATP World Tour title. At 34 years, seven months, the Italian became the oldest first-time winner in ATP World Tour history. It was his second ATP World Tour final, having finished runner-up in Sao Paulo in February 2014.

ATPWorldTour.com spoke to Lorenzi after his victory in Kitzbuhel.

How does it feel to be holding your first ATP World Tour singles trophy at the age of 34?

I think it’s great to win an ATP trophy. I don’t look at the age. I can say that I’m really happy and I don’t mind if it’s happening at 34.

When you were growing up, was it a goal of yours to win an ATP World Tour event?

When I was younger, I think the dream is to become No. 1 and win a Grand Slam, but of course it’s not so easy and only a few players can do this. But a goal of this year was to win one trophy, so this is great for me.

Did you have a different approach for this final compared to your other one in Sao Paulo in 2014?

I think I had a different approach because I already made it to one final. In Sao Paulo, I was one set up. Today, I was one set and one break up, but I was just thinking about playing my best tennis.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

My goal was to play the Olympics for Italy, so I will go to Rio now. Afterwards, I will try to play more big tournaments with my ranking and try to do my best.

When you look at this season, what do you think has improved the most in your game?

I’m changing a lot. I’m still too far behind the baseline sometimes, so I need to be more aggressive. We’re working every day to try and do something more. I need to improve a lot of things, so this is just the start.

What do you think are the strengths of your game?

I think my mentality. During the match, I’m just thinking about what I have to do and trying to do my best on every point.

Who are the players you looked up to growing up?

Growing up, I liked Boris Becker because my brother was for Stefan Edberg, so we need to fight each other. I’m not enjoying the tennis like before because now when I see a player, I’m trying to study them. But before, it was Boris.

What do you like to do for fun?

When I have time, I read a lot. I read almost a book a week. And when I have a few days off for a holiday, I always go to the sea with my girlfriend.

Who has helped you through your career to get where are you today?

My family. My parents, my brother and in the last year my girlfriend have helped me so much, so I have to say thanks to them.

It was a night of firsts for Vasek Pospisil on Friday in Toronto as he threw out the first pitch at the Blue Jays’ game against the Seattle Mariners.

“That was the first time I’ve ever thrown a baseball in my life so I’m pretty happy with how it went,” said Pospisil. “It’s also the first time I’ve ever been to a baseball game so I’m really pumped.”

The Canadian is in Toronto ready to compete at the Rogers Cup, the sixth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the season, which begins on Monday.

Pospisil is looking for a return to form at the tournament where he made his breakthrough three years ago, when it was held in Montreal, by reaching the semi-finals (l. to Raonic). The 26 year old opens his bid against Jeremy Chardy and also competes in the doubles alongside countryman Daniel Nestor.

Top seeds Wesley Koolhof/Matwe Middelkoop won their second ATP World Tour title of the year on Saturday at the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel, saving a championship point to prevail over wild cards Dominic Thiem/Dennis Novak, 2-6, 6-3 11-9.

“We had a few tough matches [this week],” said Middelkoop. “We won with four match tie-breaks. We learned how to deal with pressure and dealt with it in a good way.”

The Austrian pair opened the match by breaking serve and converted on both of their break point chances in the opening set. But the Dutch pair fought back, earning the lone break of serve in the second set to lead 3/1 and holding onto the momentum to force the championship into a match tie-break.

Thiem/Novak rallied from 4/8 down in the match tie-break to win five straight points, but couldn’t convert on their championship point at 9/8. Koolhof/Middelkoop won the final three points to take the title.

“To play against Dominic Thiem in such a big court and at such a big event is a dream come true,” said Middelkoop. “It was a big honour to play for that crowd.”

Koolhof added, “This was the first time I played in front of a big crowd like that [with 5,500 people in the stadium]. It was a great atmosphere.”

Koolhof/Middelkoop won their first-ever ATP World Tour doubles title February at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open in February. They split €25,070 in prize money and earned 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points.

Thiem was appearing in his first ATP World Tour doubles final and Novak in his first ATP World Tour final of any kind. They split €13,170 and 150 points.

Gael Monfils returned to some of his best tennis at the Citi Open on Friday, dazzling the Washington crowd with absurd angles and holding back a solid showing from American Sam Querrey 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Monfils advanced to the Washington semi-finals for the third time in as many tournament appearances.

The second seeded Frenchman will face compatriot Benoit Paire or #NextGen star Alexander Zverev. Monfils lost his only previous contest against Paire and is 2-0 against Zverev.

Facing Querrey, Monfils grabbed the early advantage with a break in the seventh game to go up 4-3. The 29-year-old right-hander cruised on his serve during the first set. Querrey, though, stepped up his play and broke Monfils in the early stages of the second set and the Wimbledon quarter-finalist looked confident blasting forehands and big serves.

But Monfils took back the momentum and led 3-0 in the third set before taking the match. He last reached the Washington semi-finals the last time he played at the tournament: 2011, en route to his only Washington final (l. to Stepanek). Monfils also reached the last four in 2007 (l. to Isner).

Milos Raonic is swiping through his phone. We’re in a booth at a Miami steak house, picking at shrimp-and-quinoa salads, talking about athletes and writing, when he finds Kobe Bryant’s retirement poem, a love letter to basketball. “You’re a writer,” he says to me. “I want to hear your literary take.” This is typical. Not so much the poetry part as the seeking-out opinions. 

Last year, while recovering from back spasms, the 25-year-old Canadian asked himself, “What is the stuff I like to do the least and can it help me?” One answer? Writing. Now every night Raonic, currently ranked seventh, jots down “ideas, emotions” in a leather notebook. He’s been reading books like The Art of Learning, by the chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin. 

Tennis is a game of slim margins, especially at the top. Every player is looking for that something to close the gap. Commentator Justin Gimelstob believes one of Raonic’s strengths is “he isn’t afraid to be great.”

Read the full article in Vogue