Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka came from a set down to beat last year’s winner Tomas Berdych in the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament final in Rotterdam. The fourth seed and world number eight won 4-6 6-3 6-4 against the Czech, one place above him in the world rankings. It was Wawrinka’s sixth straight win against Berdych and the ninth title of his career. Stan, who beat the Czech in the semifinals on the way to winning last year’s Australian Open, secured crucial breaks of serve at the end of the second set and the start of the third.
The Swiss, 29, secured a break at the end of the second, went 4-1 up in the third and survived a late fightback.
Bidding for this 11th career title, the third-seeded Berdych won 92 percent of his points on first serve and saving the only break point he faced in the first set, where he broke Wawrinka’s serve once. But the 29-year-old Wawrinka broke for a 5-3 lead and broke again and held for 2-0 at the start of the third set.
“It’s my first (ATP World Tour) 500 title and winning indoors is something special for me personally. It’s always amazing to win a trophy. It’s the best feeling,” Wawrinka was quoted as saying on the ATP’s website.
“It’s been an amazing week. It wasn’t easy, but every match I found my way. It was a great final. Tomas was playing really well, but I’m happy to turn that match for me and win the title.”
‘Winning indoors is something special for me personally.”
Berdych felt he had let the match slip away from him.
“I’m disappointed with the way the match finished,” he said. “I had my chances in the beginning of the second set and I didn’t make them so I think that cost me the match.” ”I can see some positive things because the last time I played him it went a completely different way. I was in control in the beginning and the small differences decided it.”
It was Wawrinka’s second title of the year after he triumphed in Chennai in January before falling at the semi-final stage of the Australian Open where he was defending champion.
Britain’s Jamie Murray and Australian partner John Peers were beaten in the final of the doubles 3-6 6-3 10-8 by third seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau.
Tomas Berdych vs Stanislas Wawrinka, 15/02/2015, 14:40 GMT, Match Center
Tennis Rotterdam: Wawrinka beats Berdych in the final
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