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Sport - Tennis

Ferrer beats Gasquet, wins title

TENNIS / Henin triumphs at Stuttgart

— PHOTO: AP

ON A ROLL: Justine Henin’s victory over Tatiana Golovin was her 16th consecutive WTA win.

TOKYO: Spain’s top seed David Ferrer kept his career-best season rolling on Sunday, taking the men’s singles at the Japan Open with an easy win over Richard Gasquet of France.

The 25-year-old, who has maintained a career-high world No. 8 ranking since his semifinal appearance at the U.S. Open, coasted to a 6-1, 6-2 win over the French third seed.

“It’s a great feeling. It’s my first time to win here in Tokyo on hard courts. It’s unbelievable. This is the best moment of my career,” he said.

“I played very good, very consistent. Maybe Richard was a little bit tired.”

Smooth sailing

Everything went perfectly for Ferrer, who stormed ahead 4-0 in the first set and 3-0 in the second.

Gasquet, a Wimbledon semifinalist this season, missed two break points in the fourth game of the first set and struggled to make good on his other break chances.

Ferrer said Gasquet’s low first-serve percentage helped him convert five of eight break points and coast to victory.

“Richard made many mistakes with his first serves in the first set. And you know my best shot is a return,” said Ferrer.

Gasquet admitted that he was tired after winning last week in Mumbai and playing five more matches in Tokyo, saying: “If you are not great physically, it’s difficult to beat him.”

But the 21-year-old said he still had a good chance at making November’s eight-man season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai. Ferrer is in a good position, currently at No. 6 in the race.

“I will be ninth or 10th next week. I can be in the Masters,” Gasquet said.

Ferrer became only the second Spaniard to win the men’s title at the Japan Open, after Manuel Orantes in 1977.

Showing her class

World No. 1 Justine Henin showed her class by coming from a set down to beat France’s Tatiana Golovin 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 and win the final at Stuttgart’s WTA tournament on Sunday.

This was Henin’s 16th consecutive WTA win having won both the U.S. Open and the WTA tournament in Toronto since her last defeat when she was beaten by France’s Marion Bartoli in the semifinal at Wimbledon last July.

Golovin, 19, had looked set to claim the winner’s prize of a brand new Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet and beat Henin for the first time in their third meeting as the teenager broke the Belgian twice to take the first set.

Having had a hard semifinal battle with Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic on Saturday, Henin looked jaded early in the game and failed to find her rhythm.

Golovin was very strong on her forehand, winning the first set in 42 minutes and was clearly not fazed by her illustrious opponent.

But Henin showed her class by responding in style to take the second set 6-2 having broken Golovin immediately and dominated Golovin with a superb range of shots.

Last year’s finalist Golovin put up little resistance in the third and Henin needed just 29 minutes to claim a 6-1 win.

The results: At Tokyo (ATP Japan Open) (final): David Ferrer bt Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-2.

At Stuttgart (WTA Grand Prix) (final): Justine Henin bt Tatiana Golovin 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

At Metz (ATP Metx Open): Semifinal: Tommy Robredo bt Nicolas Mahut 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. — Agencies

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