Malek Jaziri hopes his run to Istanbul final inspires Arab world, Taro Daniel claims first ATP title

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  • Down but not out: Malek Jaziri.

    Malek Jaziri hopes his run to a maiden tour final in Istanbul can inspire other Arab players and he insists he’ll work harder to try and claim a first ATP trophy following his defeat to Taro Daniel on Sunday.

    The Tunisian was looking to become the first Arab since Younes El Aynaoui in 2002 to win an ATP crown but fell short against the 114th-ranked Daniel, who wrapped up a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Jaziri in two hours and 22 minutes.

    Daniel, who had never played in an ATP semi-final prior to Istanbul, saved set points in the opening set and upped his game in the second to secure his first tour title.

    At 34, Jaziri is the first Arab since El Aynaoui in 2003 to feature in an ATP final and despite his defeat, he feels his good form in Turkey, that saw him take out world No. 4 Marin Cilic, will give him confidence moving forward.

    “It’s good for me, for my country, for the Arab players, that they can believe that they can achieve as well, they can arrive to this level. If I did it, they can do it as well,” said Jaziri, who will return to No. 62 in the world on Monday.

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  • “Mentally it’s not easy but you have to work, you work harder, you can make it. Age is not important.

    “Believe in yourself, work, and be patient. Success will come, one day it will be yours. If you believe and put everything together to make it, one day you will make it. Nobody believed in me in the beginning but I made it and I arrived where I wanted to arrive and hopefully I will arrive where I want in the future. I’ll keep believing in myself and in what I’m doing.”

    Daniel, who shocked Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells in March, had won just six matches at all levels since last October prior to his title run in Istanbul.

    “I was feeling pretty nervous before the match,” Daniel was quoted as saying by ATPWorldTour.com.

    “I was nervous, but I told myself, ‘I’m sure he’s more nervous than me.’ So that helped. When I started not badly… I started to calm down a bit more.”

    The Japanese will rise to a career-high ranking of No. 82 on Monday.

    Jaziri, who next competes in Rome, which starts on Monday May 14, is already looking ahead.

    “I was playing good the past few weeks. I was winning a lot of matches. I will take the positive things from this week. I played very good, I beat some good guys, I beat a top-five player. I really wanted so much to win this tournament in Istanbul, but life is like this, it was not my day. Elhamdolillah [Thank God], you take what you take, if it’s not yours, you don’t take it,” said the Tunisian.

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