Robin Soderling beat Juan Monaco 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win the Swedish Open on Sunday for his fourth ATP Tour title and the first on clay.
The second-seeded Soderling became the first Swedish winner of the tournament since 2000 when his coach, Magnus Norman, won the title.
“I’m so happy, I wouldn’t trade this victory for a Grand Slam,” Soderling said.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The 12th-ranked Soderling did not drop a set in his four matches at Bastad.
He broke for a 1-0 lead in the second set and had a break point for 4-1, but he let Monaco back in the match when his serve deserted him in the eighth game. Monaco broke back to 4-4 after Soderling hit a backhand wide.
Leading 5-4, the unseeded Argentine reached set point when Soderling fell behind 30-40, but he managed to hold his serve after hitting a forehand winner in the corner.
Soderling took command early in the tie-breaker and never trailed.
He moved to 6-2 and won it on his third match point when Monaco netted a return.
■MERCEDES CUP
REUTERS, STUTTGART, GERMANY
Frenchman Jeremy Chardy battled back from a set down to beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in Stuttgart on Sunday and clinch his maiden tour title in style.
Ranked 43rd, the 22-year-old recovered from an error-ridden first set to whip Hanescu into submission with his thundering forehand and some clever volleying.
■PRAGUE OPEN
AP, PRAGUE
Sybille Bammer of Austria beat top-seeded Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 on Sunday to win the Prague Open.
“It was very difficult and windy, she [Schiavone] has a very accurate top-spin game and I am very happy I won,” Bammer said.
■PALERMO OPEN
AP, PALERMO, ITALY
Flavia Pennetta routed Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday to win the Palermo Open in an all-Italian final.
The top-seeded Pennetta did not drop a set all week on the red clay courts of the Country Time Club.
It was Pennetta’s seventh career title, six of them on clay.
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