World number four Stan Wawrinka overcame the spirited challenge of Marcos Baghdatis to win the Dubai Tennis Championship. The Swiss triumphed 6-4 7-6 (15-13) for his ninth straight final win and his second title of the season. The French Open champion, 30, saved five set points in a tense tie-break and won when a Baghdatis return went wide on a fourth match point.

It was Wawrinka’s first time playing the tournament in eight years. He had reached the final when Nick Kyrgios retired from their semi-final with a back injury. That had been the first match between the pair since the infamous match in Montreal last August, when on-court microphones recorded Kyrgios making a lewd suggestion about Wawrinka’s girlfriend.

The Australian, who later apologised for the remarks, was given a fine and a 28-day ban, suspended for six months by the ATP, which came to an end recently. The Swiss earned 500 Emirates ATP Rankings points and $511,750 in prize money. He has a 13-2 match record in 2016.

Wawrinka is the fifth active player to have won nine of more finals in a row, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer (24, also 13 and 10), Rafael Nadal (14, also 9 twice), Novak Djokovic (9) and Tommy Haas (9).