Cincinnati Open: Garbine Muguruza, Grigor Dimitrov capture title

Cincinnati: Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza humbled second-ranked Simona Halep 6-1, 6-0 in Sunday's final of the WTA Cincinnati Open, denying the Romanian the world number one spot in the process. Grigor Dimitrov captured his seventh and biggest career title Sunday, defeating Australia's Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-5 to win the ATP Cincinnati Masters .

Sixth-seeded Spaniard Muguruza needed only 56 minutes to capture her second title of the year and her first in a US event, taking the $522,450 top prize in the last major US Open tuneup.

"The American swing was never going my way," Muguruza said. "Finally, this year, I improved that."

It marked the third loss of the year for Halep when she was playing for the top ranking, also falling in the French Open final against Jelena Ostapenko and the Wimbledon quarterfinal against Johanna Konta, each time after taking the first set.

"Maybe I feel the pressure and I don't realize it," Halep said. "Maybe I just played bad." Halep's coach, Darren Cahill, told ESPN the French Open loss still haunts her, saying: "There's still a little leftover residue from Paris. It takes some time to get over that."

Halep apologized to spectators after the embarrassing defeat, thanking them for support "even if I played so bad and Muguruza played so well."

"It was a big shame to lose 6-1, 6-0 in the final," Halep said. "I got dominated. I can't control anymore the points. That's why I got down in my confidence."

Muguruza admitted after the lopsided win: "I feel a little bit bad. But I want to be in her position. I wanted to win. What can I do?"

Czech Karolina Pliskova, a semi-final loser to Muguruza, will remain world number one by a five-point margin over Halep.

"It's still there. I still have a chance," Halep said. "Maybe one day I will be there." Serena Williams had been number one before her pregnancy break began earlier this year.

Muguruza, who jumps to third in Monday's rankings, becomes a favorite to capture a third career Grand Slam crown in Flushing Meadows after taking Wimbledon and last year's French Open.

"I'm happy people see me as a favorite but it not always happens that you win a tournament and then go ahead and win a Grand Slam," Muguruza said. "I'm happy to have the confidence. Beats not having it."  

Just too good

Muguruza, 25, broke Halep, 23, for a 2-0 lead and Halep double faulted away another break in the sixth game before Muguruza held to claim the first set in 23 minutes, aided by 15 Halep unforced errors.

"She was hitting pretty strong and started dominating me from the first point," Halep said. "After a few games I started to go down in confidence. I think she was just too good today."

In a 12-minute fourth game in set two, Halep netted a forehand and sent a backhand wide to squander her only break chances. Muguruza broke again in the fifth game and held serve to seize the crown.

"I was looking to be aggressive from the first moment," Muguruza said. "I felt very comfortable. My level was very high. Especially in the second set I felt I could raise it a little bit more and close the match."

Halep must now set aside the humiliation to focus on the US Open."I know I have to forget it. I have a much bigger tournament coming up," Halep said. "I don't want to go down too much. I don't want to analyze too much. It was a bad moment on court but it's just today.

"I'll go to New York and I'll build the confidence up. These moments are bringing you a lesson and I'll just learn from it."

Dimitrov’s biggest career title

The 11th-ranked Bulgarian never dropped a set in taking the top prize of $954,225 and his first Masters title, a perfect stepping stone into the year's last Grand Slam event that begins a week from Monday.

"In the big picture, it means a lot to me," Dimitrov said. "I'm pretty confident after that win. This is what I've been practicing for. It's my biggest win so far.

"I'm going to enjoy it for a day or two but then it's back to the routine and prepare for the US Open."

In the highest-level ATP final ever contested between two players born in the 1990s, Dimitrov collected his tour-best 24th hardcourt match victory of the year and third title of 2017 after Brisbane and Sofia.

"To have this trophy in my hand, it's just amazing. Going to the Open, it's a lot of positivity," said Dimitrov, on his hottest run since starting the season 16-1.

Kyrgios, who ousted Monday's new world number one Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, has not won an ATP title since taking his third last year in Tokyo.

After battling a hip injury and lack of motivation three weeks ago in Washington, Kyrgios was thrilled at the run to his biggest final yet.

"From where I was to here, it's just amazing," Kyrgios said. "I just feel the way I should. I just didn't want to be out there. I lost today but I feel great with where I'm at now.

"I'm pretty excited for the US Open, enjoying getting out there and getting some wins again."Rising from that disheartened low point to a Masters final was a shocker, Kyrgios said.

"That's a very Nick Kyrgios thing to do," he said. "Crazy. I really don't know how I did it. It's a miracle." Not since Guillermo Canas beat Andy Roddick in 2002 at Toronto had two first-time ATP Masters finalists met for a Masters crown.

"I was so nervous," Dimitrov said. "I tried to contain myself. It was one of those matches I knew I could beat him but you never know what's going to come out against you."

"I could have done a few things better. But nerves were there. At the end of the day I was just going for it."

Kyrgios, ranked 23rd, squandered a break chance in the fifth game, sending a forehand wide, and Dimitrov broke in the sixth when the Aussie netted a forehand to seize a 4-2 lead, then held twice to take the first set.

"The first set was very important for sure," Dimitrov said. "I had to find a way to get a few balls back. It came down to a few points and I held my nerve.

"He can generate a lot of power from any position at any time. That's what kept me on my toes the whole time." Kyrgios used an ace and a service winner to save two break points before holding in the seventh game of the second set.

But Kyrgios double faulted twice in three points to hand Dimitrov a break point and then swatted a forehand beyond the baseline to surrender a break and a 6-5 edge. Dimitrov, 26, then held for the title, clinching the trophy when Kyrgios, 22, netted a forehand after 85 minutes.