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Lopez claims Joburg crown

Lopez claims Joburg crown

02/08/2010 04:46:22 AM

Feliciano Lopez was crowned SA Tennis Open champion after a comfortable straight-sets victory over first-time ATP Tour finalist Stephane Robert.

The third-seeded Spaniard beat top seed Gael Monfils at Montecasino on Saturday and followed that up with another commanding display in a 7-5 6-1 win.

It was almost a case of missed opportunities for Lopez in the first set as he squandered eight break points, before eventually clinching it on his ninth.

The second set was totally one-sided as the eighth-seeded Frenchman fell apart, winning just 11 points to hand the world No.39 a second career title - the last one came in Vienna in 2004 - in one hour and 13 minutes.

Meanwhile Marin Cilic successfully defended his Zagreb Indoors crown with a hard-fought 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 win over Michael Berrer of Germany.

The top seed, who reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, needed just one break of serve to take the opening set but missed out on a closely-fought second with Berrer playing an impressive tie-breaker.

That took the match into a decider, and Cilic's experience told with another break in game four ultimately enough to secure his fifth ATP Tour trophy.

Berrer, ranked 65 in the world, was making his first appearance in a tour final.

Meanwhile, Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci recovered from a second-set meltdown to beat Juan Monaco in the Movistar Open final in Santiago.

The third seed had beaten hometown hero - and top seed - Fernando Gonzalez in the semi-final and looked on course for a repeat when he took an opening set containing four breaks of serve.

But the wheels came off in spectacular fashion as he lost the second 6-0.

Second seed Monaco had dropped only one set on his way to the final and was not going to hand Bellucci the title without a fight.

A cagier third set saw just five break points, Bellucci crucially converting one of his three chances to seal a 6-2 0-6 6-4 win.

It was the second title of the 22-year-old left-hander's career, following last year's win in Gstaad.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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