Chengdu, October 1: Denis Istomin lifted the Chengdu Open trophy after Marcos Baghdatis was forced to retire due to a back injury in Sunday's final.
Trailing 3-2 in the opening set, Baghdatis slumped to the floor in clear distress after serving at 15-30.
The 32-year-old was quickly comforted by his opponent, who placed a towel under Baghdatis' head as the Cypriot was attended to by a physio.
It was soon clear that Baghdatis, who had been seeking his first title since 2010, was unable to continue, meaning Istomin was crowned the champion in an anti-climactic end to the tournament.
Denis Istomin def. Marcos Baghdatis 32 Ret'd. Baghdatis retired due to a back problem. pic.twitter.com/1k7atHJjja
— Chengdu Open (@ChengduOpen) October 1, 2017
"I was feeling a bit of pain in my back during the week, but late after my match last night I felt some spasms," explained Baghdatis.
"This morning I woke up a bit the same. After my warm-up, it got worse. The ATP physio worked on me for an hour and a half. I was okay for three or four games and the spasms came back. I've had back issues before, but not like this."
A sympathetic Istomin said: "I know his situation, because I've had a lot of injuries. I know the feeling and we are good friends, so my first thought was to help Marcos when I saw him go down.
"Of course I want to win the title, but not this way. I hope he gets better and will be okay for the rest of the season."
Istomin is now a two-time winner on the ATP World Tour, this latest triumph following his breakthrough tournament victory in Nottingham two years ago.
Source: OPTA
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