May 28, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 11, 1428

POERTSCHACH (Austria), May 27: Argentina's Juan Monaco concluded an ideal warm-up for the French Open with a 7-6, 6-0 win over Gael Monfils of France in the Poertschach International final on Saturday to lift his second ATP title.

Monaco took the tiebreak 7-3 to settle a hard-fought opening set then wrapped up the match against the tiring Frenchman, who had upset seeds Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt in the previous rounds, in one hour 21 minutes.

DEMENTIEVA triumphs

ISTANBUL: Elena Dementieva won the Istanbul Cup on Saturday after her opponent, surprise finalist Aravane Rezai, retired hurt in the second set with the Russian leading 7-6, 3-0.

It was a disappointing end to the tournament for the unseeded French player who had pulled off a series of giant-killing victories on her way to the final.

Rezai beat fourth seed Venus Williams in the second round before defeating top seed Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-4 in the semi-finals.

SHOCK WIN FOR MEDINA

STRASBOURG (France): Top seed Amelie Mauresmo lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues in the Strasbourg Open final on Saturday to end her preparations for the French Open with a surprise defeat.

The world No 5 got off to a shaky start with Medina taking advantage of the Frenchwoman's sluggish serve to break three times and clinch the opening set.

Mauresmo rallied in the second set, saving a break point after claiming the Spaniard's serve, to level the match.

Medina, seeded sixth, then took control of the decider by breaking in the fifth game only for Mauresmo to break back.

Mauresmo crumbled at the end of the match when she dropped her serve for the sixth time, leaving her opponent to clinch victory in two hours and 26 minutes.—Reuters