Robredo claims Swedish Open

Bastad, July 13:

Spanish third seed Tommy Robredo captured his first title of the season at the Swedish Open here today with a comfortable 6-4, 6-1 win over fourth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych.

It was the second title in Bastad for Robredo, who was also champion in 2006, and the seventh of his career. “I am obviously very happy to have won the title here in Bastad once again,” said the 26-year-old.

Berdych said he was hampered by a painful knee as the final progressed. “I felt something in my knee in the sixth game of the match when I was down 3-2,” said the fourth seed. “I’m not sure what the pain is but since I just came back from an ankle injury I was afraid to force too much. The crowd was amazing so I didn’t want to retire without trying.”

In the semi-final, Robredo had defeated top seed and defending champion David Ferrer, while Berdych saw off second-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the first time since 1984 that the top four seeds had completed the semi-final line-up.

Gstaad open

Gstaad: Victor Hanescu won his first career title as he took advantage of a tired Igor Andreev to claim a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the Gstaad Open here today.

Hanescu, 26, becomes the first from Romania to win the trophy at this alpine resort venue since Ilie Nastase in 1973. The number 80 was playing in his second career ATP singles final following a runner-up finish last September in his hometown tournament on clay at Bucharest against Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Hanescu was dominant over Andreev, who had finished off the third set of his semi-final on the day with a victory over Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 7-6 (7/5). Andreev lost the Gstaad final four years ago against Roger Federer.

Hanescu — whose best performance in a Grand Slam also came on clay when he reached the quarter-finals of the 2005 French Open — wasted no time in sprinting towards his first career honour, wrapping up the first set in 28 minutes and breaking to start the second on the way to the career breakthrough title.

Hanescu now stands 6-1 at Gstaad after his second appearance where he upset top seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals. That victory over the number ten was his third over a top 10 player.