By Bill Scott Oct 12, 2008, 15:08 GMT
Stockholm - Argentine top seed David Nalbandian claimed his third indoor title in 12 months on Sunday as he held off Swede Robin Soderling 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to win the Stockholm Open on his debut.
The South American, ranked seventh in the world, needed 90 minutes to overcome Soderling who looked like going down quickly but fought back after losing the opening set in little more than 20 minutes.
'I played great again today,' said the delighted winner, now 23-13 on the season with titles in Sweden and Buenos Aires in February. 'He played well in the pressure in the second set to win it and my level was not so good.
'But in the third I got it back under control. I was very solid and very tight in my game.'
Sweden is still looking for its first home title since Thomas Johansson in 2004 at the Kungligahallen.
Nalbandian dropped the second set but broke Soderling's last two serves in the third to claim victory.
Last year Nalbandian won back-to-back Masters titles in Madrid and Paris Bercy.
'I like it indoors, there's no wind, no sun - no rain. It's really the prefect conditions that I like. For me it's good to play indoors.'
Nalbandian is the first from his nation to win the Stockholm crown and remains in the race for a pot in the eight-man Masters Cup in Shanghai next month.
But he has said he is unlikely to play in China in order to prepare for the November 21-23 Davis Cup final in Mar del Plata against Spain. 'The Davis Cup is my goal.'
The Argentine flies to Madrid on Monday for the Masters, where he is seeded seventh and is defending his title with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer heading a field which includes the entire Top 25.
'I'm going with confidence, I've won my first indoor event of the season, so it's a great start for me.
'I'm confident and hope to defend my trophy.' Nalbandian fired 13 aces and broke five times while Soderling put of 18 untouchable serves in front of his home public.
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