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| January 09, 2007 | Tuesday | Zilhaj 18, 1427 |
Malisse bags Chennai Open
CHENNAI (India), Jan 8: Belgian Xavier Malisse defeated Austrian Stefan Koubek 6-1, 6-3 in the Chennai Open final here on Sunday to win the second title of his career. Third-seeded Malisse, who upset world number two Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, produced a dominating all-court display for the second day in succession to close the contest in 61 minutes.
Malisse, who won his first title in Delray Beach in 2005, said he had drawn a lot of confidence from the victory over Nadal. It had been his first victory over a player ranked at world number two since turning professional in 1998.
Malisse also won the doubles crown when he and compatriot Dick Norman edged out the Spanish pair of Nadal and Bartolome Salva-Vidal 7-6, 7-6.
World number 37 Malisse, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2002, broke Koubek in the first, third, fifth and seventh games to clinch the first set.
Malisse served six aces and returned flawlessly to take control of the match. It was his fourth victory over the unseeded Austrian.
The 30-year-Koubek, who beat former world number one Carlos Moya in the semi-finals, broke Malisse in the fourth game of the first set, but never quite managed to find his rhythm.
Koubek defeated three seeded players to reach the final in what was a giant-killing spree. Malisse, who displayed a range of shots in the second set, broke his Austrian opponent in the fourth game to close out the match.—Reuters
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