Unseeded Jurgen Melzer defeated Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in the final of the $1.28 million ATP Memphis Open to capture his fourth career title.
It was the second year in a row the fourth-seeded Canadian Raonic lost in the Memphis final after winning the week before in San Jose.
Melzer, who upset top seed John Isner and third seed Radek Stepanek en route to the final, clinched Sunday's victory in a second set tie-break when Raonic hammered a backhand into the net.
Melzer broke Raonic's mighty serve in the seventh game of the second set to cut Raonic's lead to 4-3. Melzer then survived a set point in the 10th game before both players held serve to set up the tie-break.
Melzer also broke Raonic's serve in the 11th game of the first set to take a 6-5 lead. He ended the 41-minute opening set with an ace out wide on his second set point that Raonic could not reach with his backhand.
By taking the first set, Melzner snapped Raonic's 2012 win streak at 19 consecutive sets. Raonic had not lost a set since he fell to Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the Australia Open in January.
The left-handed Austrian earned $260,000 in prize money for his first win since successfully defending his crown in his hometown of Vienna two years ago.
It was the first career meeting between the Canadian rising star and the 14-year veteran Melzer, who was playing with a broken toe suffered in his hotel when he first arrived in Memphis.
Melzer now has a 4-7 career record in finals and also won his first title on US soil after finishing runner-up in his previous three attempts.
Raonic, who lost in last year's final to American veteran Andy Roddick, came into Sunday's final riding a nine-match win streak and was seeking to add the Memphis crown to titles he already won this year in San Jose and Chennai.
AFP
Tags: sport, tennis, united-states First posted February 27, 2012 10:59:19
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