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SPORTS Monday 11 noveMber 2019

Jannik Sinner of Italy holds the trophy after beating Australia's
Alex De Minaur, during the ATP Next Gen tennis tournament final
match, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.
Associated Press
Sinner beats De

Minaur to scoop Seattle Sounders celebrate Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, after the team beat the Toronto FC in the MLS
Cup championship soccer match in Seattle. The Sounders won 3-1.
Associated Press
1st ATP title Continued from Page 18 league in 2009. The Sound- our fans, the ball bouncing
Kelvin Leerdam settled the ers brought record crowds our way at home, we won
nerves of those home fans and record success — 11 this game."
with his 57th minute goal straight playoff appear- Those fans were forced to
By DANIELLA MATAR No. 95. off a deflection, Victor Ro- ances — but its previous nervously sit on their hands
Associated Press He only recorded his first dríguez and Raul Ruidíaz two appearances in the for nearly an hour because
MILAN (AP) — Italian teen- ATP Tour main-draw win in added the cappers and finals both required trips to Toronto was the better
ager Jannik Sinner beat April. the Sounders beat Toronto Toronto. Seattle wanted side. Toronto dominated
top-seeded Alex de Minaur Sinner picked up $372,000 FC 3-1 on Sunday to claim to be on display, wanted possession and seemed
in straight sets at the Next from this week's tourna- the MLS Cup title. to show how soccer-mad the more likely side to find
Gen Finals on Saturday to ment, surpassing his career Playing before the sec- the area was, wanted the a goal. They controlled
claim his first ATP title — total before arriving in Mi- ond-largest crowd for an showcase of playing for a possession. They connect-
and a big payday. lan. MLS Cup final, the Sound- championship with a stadi- ed their passes more often.
Wild card Sinner triumphed But he doesn't plan on ers withstood a nervy first um crammed full of green. They seemed comfortable
4-2, 4-1, 4-2 in the final, serv- splashing out to celebrate. 45 minutes where Toronto They got their wish. The in the setting, while Seattle
ing out to love and clinch- "No," Sinner said with a was the better side, before 69,274 in attendance was seemed uneasy.
ing victory when De Minaur smile when asked if he was capitalizing on their oppor- a stadium record, the larg- It was one momentary
hit a return into the net, going to buy himself some- tunities in the second half est crowd to see a soccer breakdown by Toronto and
much to the delight of a thing special. But he admit- and setting off a wild cel- match in Seattle, and the a bit of luck that allowed
boisterous crowd in Milan. ted even he didn't expect ebration that lasted nearly second-largest to witness Seattle to take the lead.
It was a second succes- to do so well in Milan. an hour after the final whis- an MLS Cup final behind "Up until their first goal, I
sive runner-up finish for De "I'm surprised because it's tle. CenturyLink Field shook last year in Atlanta. Seattle thought things were going
Minaur at the season-end- been an unbelievable when Rodriguez gave Se- became the sixth franchise our way. I thought we were
ing tournament for top un- week. All the players are attle a 2-0 lead in the 76th in league history with mul- playing well and had things
der-21 players. unbelievable players. If not, minute and the stadium tiple titles. The Sounders under control," Toronto de-
"He's an unbelievable they are not here." rattled again when Ruidíaz joined Houston, Sporting fender Justin Morrow said.
player," Sinner said. "I just "Sinner-Mania" is sure to made it 3-0 in the 90th . Kansas City and San Jose "They come down and
tried to play my game grow. His run in Milan has "I got a little teary-eyed, with two titles. The LA Gal- score, and it's tough af-
and not make any errors. stirred the crowds this week not so much for winning axy have five, and D.C. ter that." The second goal
I didn't make many so I'm to near-hysteria and fans the trophy but winning it United four. was the eventual game-
very happy with my perfor- have packed the stands at home with our fans and It was among the most an- winner for Seattle and the
mance." just to watch him practice. having that positivity and ticipated finals in league one which will be replayed
The title caps a fantastic De Minaur has only lost two joyous moments that you history, and Seattle — for years. Rodríguez's goal
season for the 18-year-old of his 10 matches in two can share with everybody," eventually — delivered. started with Gustav Svens-
Sinner who opened the editions of the tournament Seattle goalkeeper Stefan "If we played this game in son's pass to Nicolas Lo-
year at No. 551 but is now in Milan, but unfortunately Frei said. Toronto, we would have deiro that left perfectly for
the youngest player inside for the Australian they were Seattle had craved this lost," Seattle midfielder Cris- Rodríguez near the top of
the Top 300, having risen to both finals.q moment since it joined the tian Roldan said. "But with the penalty area.q