Monfils stops Nieminen to win Stockholm title

By Bill Scott Oct 23, 2011, 15:45 GMT

Stockholm - Finland's Jarkko Nieminen saved three match points, but couldn't overcome on-form Gael Monfils as the French top seed scored a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory on Sunday to win the Stockholm Open.

Nieminen, aged 30 and ranked 73rd after once standing 13th on the ATP, has now come up short in three heartbreak Stockholm finals.

The popular player was beaten in 2001 by Dutchman Sjeng Schalken and went out in 2006 to American James Blake, who was Nieminen's semi-final victim on Saturday as Nieminen reached the 11th final of his career.

Nieminen owns just one title, from Auckland in 2006.

'I haven't had the best year,' said Nieminen, who has lost ten of 11 career finals. 'But the good work pays off sooner or later.'

Monfils won his first trophy in a year and erased his label as the only member of the ranking Top 15 not to have lifted a title in 2011.

'Jarkko was very tough, he had a great week, but too bad about today,' said the winner, who remains in the chase for a possible spot at next months season-wrapup event in London.

'I was strong in the mind and felt very concentrated. Jarkko was playing well. But I believed in myself, I had mental strength.

'I also didn't have a drop in form and that was also great. My serve worked well, it helped me a lot.'

Monfils beat Nieminen three weeks ago in Bangkok and repeated the effort in just two hours in the Swedish capital.

The French number 10 had taken a fortnight off to deal with a knee injury and missed Beijing and Shanghai events before coming back strong in Stockholm. He won with 13 aces.

'I've had a few injures but I moved pretty well,' said the winner. 'I'm very happy to win, it was a great final for me.'

Monfils claimed the first set in 38 minutes after it began with four straight breaks of serve. But Nieminen lifted in the second to level at one set each as he came out ahead in a run of three consecutive break from the sixth to eighth games.

The Finn's shot on his first set point clipped the net, but the 30-year-old converted on his second after saving a break point in the game.

In the third set, Monfils sealed the opening game with his eighth ace and took a 4-1 lead before earning the win on his fourth match point.

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