Dominic Thiem handles Joao Sousa to win the Croatia Open

Dominic Thiem of Austria beat Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-4, 6-1 to win the Croatia Open on Sunday.

UMAG, Croatia (AP) — Dominic Thiem of Austria beat Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-4, 6-1 to win the Croatia Open on Sunday.

Thiem became the first Austrian to win the title since Thomas Muster in 1995. After defeating top-seeded Gael Monfils of France in the semifinals he stunned Sousa in just 61 minutes.

This is his second career title after victory in the Open de Nice in May.

Both players held serve until the seventh game of the first set, when a series of astonishing drop shots from Thiem eventually led to him breaking Sousa. He then won seven of the next eight games with Sousa powerless to prevent his counterpart.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic watched from the stands. He last played in Umag in 2006.