France’s Nicolas Mahut celebrates with his trophy after defeating Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka in the final of the ATP Topshelf Open in Rosmalen, yesterday. Mahut won 6-3, 6-4.
‘S HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands: Frenchman Nicolas Mahut won his first ATP title yesterday taking the s’Hertogenbosch event with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over favourite Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.
The 31-year-old, whose ranking has slipped to 240th in the world after a knee injury, was appearing in just his third final.
Mahut, best known for having participated in the longest tennis match of all time with John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010, adapted best to the conditions which saw rain intervene twice in the first set, the second time at 3-3.
Mahut broke Wawrinka, ranked 10 in the world, on their return and had no problem in wrapping up the set.
The Frenchman then broke Wawrinka in the third game of the second set and kept his nerve to seal victory and end the tournament without having dropped a set.
“After all the difficulties these past few months this win proves that I was right to keep going,” he said.
Mahut was given a wild card entry for Wimbledon, which gets underway tomorrow, and will play Czech Jan Hajek in the first round.
Isner tweeted his congratulations to the Frenchman.
“Congrats to @nmahut on his title in Holland! No one deserves it more than him. Well done!,” wrote the American.
Meanwhile, Romania’s Simona Halep’s rich vein of form continued on Saturday as she won her second successive WTA title beating Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium 6-4, 6-2 to take the ‘s-Hertogenbosch event.
Halep, 21 and ranked 45th in the world, had won her maiden title in Nuremberg, Germany, last Sunday. AGENCIES
