Cilic tops Nishikori at US Open for 1st Slam title

Marin Cilic of Croatia celebrates after defeating Kei Nishikori of Japan in their men's singles final match at the 2014 US Open tennis tournament in New York, Sept 8, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Women's singles: Serena Williams

NEW YORK - Unable to play in the US Open a year ago because of a doping suspension, Marin Cilic is now the tournament's champion.

Croatia's Cilic won his first Grand Slam title by beating Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 on Monday at Flushing Meadows, using 17 aces - including four in one game - and the same powerful groundstrokes that helped him eliminate Roger Federer in the semifinals.

"This is (from) all the hard work in these last several years - and especially this last year," Cilic said during the on-court ceremony, when he kissed his silver trophy and collected a check for $3 million.

The 14th-seeded Cilic prevented the 10th-seeded Nishikori from becoming the first man from Asia to win a major singles championship.

"Sorry I couldn't get a trophy today," Nishikori said, "but for sure, next time."

There hadn't been a matchup between players making their Grand Slam final debuts at the US Open since 1997. Lopsided and lasting less than two hours, this hardly qualified as a classic.

"Both of us were pretty nervous in the first set, especially," Cilic acknowledged. "When we got ourselves going, it was a bit better."