EASTBOURNE, England, June 18 (UPI) -- Italian Andreas Seppi claimed his first career title Saturday after Janko Tipsarevic retired in the third set of the Eastbourne International final.
The unseeded Seppi held a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 5-3 lead when Serbia's Tipsarevic left the match due to a leg injury suffered while slipping on the grass court.
The Serb had asked for play to be halted before the start of the third set but was turned down by the tournament supervisor.
Both Seppi and Tipsarevic gained the final after winning their semifinal matches earlier Saturday after rain washed out Friday's action in the Wimbledon grass-court tuneup.
Third-seeded Tipsarevic defeated Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-2, 6-4, in one semifinal while Seppi prevailed over Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the other.
