Belgian Malisse wins Chennai Open

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-08 08:59

Belgian Xavier Malisse defeated Austrian Stefan Koubek 6-1 6-3 in the Chennai Open final 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.

World number 37 Malisse, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2002, broke his left-handed opponent in the first, third, fifth and seventh games to clinch the first set.

The 30-year-Koubek, who beat former world number one Carlos Moya in the semi-finals, broke 26-year-old Malisse in the fourth game of the first set, but never quite managed to find his rhythm.

Malisse, who displayed a range of shots in the second set, broke his Austrian opponent in the fourth game to close out the match.



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