May 22, 2006	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1427

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HAMBURG, May 21: Germany Spain's Tommy Robredo won his first Masters Series title on Sunday, defeating Czech Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 in a one-sided final.

The Barcelona-based eighth seed, twice a French Open quarterfinalist, broke Stepanek twice in each of the first two sets and then smashed a backhand winner down the line to grab the crucial break for a 5-3 lead in the third.

The 24-year-old sealed the win with a volley then tore off his shirt and flung it into the crowd.

With the umbrella-like retractable roof closed to protect the clay of centre court from the rain, Robredo gained the upper hand over the 15th seed with a slew of thumping passing shots and skillful top-spin lobs.

Dressed in a black and white striped ice-hockey umpire's shirt, Stepanek had chances to break the Spaniard in all three sets but could not quite produce the form that had taken him to the final without dropping a set.

Sunday's match was Robredo's first final in the elite nine-tournament Masters Series after he made the last four on his debut in Hamburg in 2002 and in Cincinnati in 2004.

HINGIS WINS ITALIAN OPEN

ROME: Former world number one Martina Hingis swept aside Russia's Dinara Safina 6-2, 7-5 to win the Italian Open on Sunday, her first title since ending a three-year self-imposed exile from the professional game.

The Swiss, who returned in December, had last won a tournament in Tokyo in February 2002.

Safina had beaten a series of higher-ranked players en route to the final, including world number two Kim Clijsters, but her form deserted her as she sprayed shots long and wide.

Hingis's victory is expected to move her back into the world's top 15 and establish her as a contender for the French Open, which starts next week.—Reuters