Top-seeded David Nalbandian posted a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling to win the Stockholm Open final on Sunday.“I think I played a very solid match today,” said Nalbandian.Nalbandian now has a 9-8 record in ATP finals by claiming his second title this year after clinching the Buenos Aires trophy in February. He also finished runner-up at Acapulco the following week.
“Robin is a tough opponent. All our matches are very tight and this time it wasn’t different. He hits the ball very hard all the time so I had to play my best to beat him.”
Nalbandian, who claimed the $156,000 first prize, then held at love to lead 5-3 and wrapped up the match with another break after Soderling double-faulted on match point.
“Overall I’m happy with my performance this week,” said Nalbandian who claimed the $156,000 first prize.
“I think I’ve played well every time I stepped in the court and this gives me some confidence going into Madrid.”
In men's doubles, top seeds Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden and Zimbabwean Kevin Ullyett clinched their first team ATP title at the If Stockholm Open, after defeating Swedish wild cards Johan Brunstrom and Michael Ryderstedt 6-1, 6-3 in the dubs final, which lasted 55 minutes.It was Bjorkman’s 700th doubles match win (700-302 lifetime). He was being carried around Centre Court in a wheelchair by Stockholm tournament staff.
"This is a perfect ending for me to win the doubles title in Stockholm, in my last match in Sweden, with my family and friends, old coaches, watching me. The only person was missing today was my son Max who is back at Monte-Carlo in school."Bjorkman and Ullyett, who started the week at No. 6 in the ATP 2008 Race with 386 points, collected €37,500 in prize money, while Brunstrom and Ryderstedt will split €22,300.
"We didn't want to ruin Jonas' farewell match in Sweden so we let them win [laughs]," said Ullyett the 23-year-old Stockholm resident Ryderstedt, who was appearing in the first doubles final of his career.
"They played incredible tennis and were just too good for us today."
(Images via Yahoo! Sport, expressen.se)
