from The News International - Sports https://ift.tt/2JYFr66
STUTTGART: Roger Federer beat Milos Raonic to win the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, his first event for two and a half months. The Swiss had not played since the Miami Open in March, after choosing to miss the clay-court season, but the win in Germany gives him a 98th Tour title. Federer, 36, beat Canadian Raonic 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in the final. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had already secured his return to number one in the world rankings with victory over Nick Kyrgios in the semi-final. The only break of serve came in the third game of the match with Federer clinching it with a backhand winner. The second set was again tight as both players’ serve dominated on the grass court but Federer edged it on a tie-break. Federer also sat out the clay-court season in 2017 but last year lost on his return in Stuttgart before going on to win the Gerry Weber Open in Halle and claim an eighth Wimbledon title.![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vvWFd8F9u2XUAPCbmCBcOUc2AC5daF7P17HzfXA-IOAJWTrjhHohH7AiTvz_ucwyzHde4arzeeqrC2j4Ic0gaHmFVXj4OMp58eu2x-szESJ6jjId-714YODNvOJnTZTEUSEmJqAMnSZqkeRNI=s0-d)
from The News International - Sports https://ift.tt/2JYFr66
from The News International - Sports https://ift.tt/2JYFr66