Petrova wins another title

Nadia Petrova of Russia poses with the ball girls and ball boys after defeating Patty Schnyder of Switzerland in the final of the Family Circle Cup at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Nadia Petrova defeated Patty Schnyder 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to win the Family Circle Cup on Sunday for her second straight tournament victory.

It was the fourth title in six months for Petrova, who also won last week at Amelia Island, Florida. Her first tournament crown came in October at Linz, Austria, where she also defeated Schnyder. Petrova also won last month at Doha, Qatar.

By making the final at the Family Circle, Petrova will improve two spots to her highest ranking at No. 5 on the WTA Tour. The Russian's previous high was No. 6 last year.

Schnyder, ranked ninth, was making her 10th straight appearance at the Family Circle Cup.

The 27-year-old from Switzerland was also the runner-up four years ago when she lost to Iva Majoli.

Schnyder is 5-4 in matches against Petrova since 2000 but Petrova has now won three of their last four meetings.

On Saturday, Schnyder handed Justine Henin-Hardenne her first loss at the Family Circle Cup. Before Schnyder's 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory in the semifinals, Henin-Hardenne had won 14 straight matches.

US Clay Court

American Mardy Fish captured the US Men's Clay Court Championships after beating Austrian Juergen Melzer 3-6 6-4 6-3 in a battle of unseeded players.

The 212th-ranked Fish lost the first set and was down in the second before he broke Melzer's serve to begin a comeback that ended with his victory on the red clay courts at Houston's Westside Tennis Club.

"This has been an incredible week for me. I definitely didn't expect to be standing here in front of this trophy," said Fish, who collapsed on to the clay, lying on his back and raising his arms, when Melzer hit a backhand into the net to give him the match.

It was Fish's second title on the ATP circuit after Stockholm in 2003 and comes after missing much of last year due to a wrist injury that required two operations.

Even though he trailed midway through the match, Fish said he felt he was playing well enough to win, but had to become more aggressive.

"I just had to take advantage of the opportunities I had and play aggressive on the break points and the big points," said the 2004 Olympic silver medal winner.

"After that break in the second set I really started serving well and put a lot of pressure on him to hold serve," Fish said. "I just felt like the momentum was changing a little bit."

Fish virtually waltzed into Sunday's final when his second round opponent, German Rainer Schuettler, could not play because of stomach problems and his semi-final opponent, fifth-seed Tommy Haas of Germany, had to quit because of a wrist injury just six games into their match on Saturday.

Haas had earlier knocked out top-seed Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.

Two years ago, Fish was the 17th ranked player in the world and he said on Sunday his goal is to get back into the top 100 before Wimbledon begins in late June.

An ATP spokesman said Sunday's win was likely to move him up to about 120th in the rankings.

Valencia Open

Qualifier Nicolas Almagro won his first ATP title, beating Gilles Simon of France 6-3, 6-2.

The 20-year-old Spaniard, ranked 77th, easily won the first set and then broke his opponent again in the first game of the second set at Valencia Tennis Club.

Earlier in the tournament, Almagro beat Marat Safin and Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Simon, ranked 86th and playing in his first ATP final, has played only 26 matches on the tour, going 14-12.