ISTANBUL – Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri on Sunday beat Israel’s Dudi Sela 1-6, 6-1, 6-0 to win the Istanbul ATP Challenger title in a match loaded with political significance.
In 2013, Jaziri was ordered by the Tunisia tennis federation to withdraw from a tournament in Tashkent rather than face Israel’s Amir Weintraub, his scheduled opponent.
In response, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) banned Tunisia from the Davis Cup.
Despite fears that the Tunisian authorities may again intervene on Sunday, the final between the top two seeds went ahead.
The 32-year-old Tunisian lost the first set 6-1, claimed the second set 6-1 before sweeping through the decider as Jaziri claimed the sixth Challenger title of his career.
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