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Story highlights
Stanislas Wawrinka wins ATP 500 event in Rotterdam
Beats holder Tomas Berdych in three-set final
Completes full set of tennis honors and tour-level titles
Andrea Petkovic wins the WTA Diamond Games tournament
It proved a day of firsts for Stan Wawrinka as he lifted his first indoor title and first at ATP Tour 500 level.
Sunday’s three-set final victory over holder Tomas Berdych in Rotterdam has also left the popular Swiss with a full set of tennis honors.
He has six titles at ATP 250 level, a Masters 1000 crown at Monte Carlo last spring, a grand slam at last year’s Australian Open, plus Olympic gold with Roger Federer in doubles at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Wawrinka also paired with Federer to win Switzerland’s first-ever Davis Cup title against France last November and has made a superb start to 2015, retaining his Chennai title, reaching the semifinal in Melbourne in his defense of the title and now his latest breakthrough on the fast indoor surface in the Dutch port city.
It’s been an amazing week,” the 29-year-old told the official ATP Tour website.
“It wasn’t easy, but every match I found my way. It was a great final. Tomas was playing really well, but I’m happy to turn that match for me and win the title.
“It’s my first [ATP World Tour] 500 title and winning indoors is something special for me personally. It’s always amazing to win a trophy. It’s the best feeling.”
Wawrinka, who now heads to Marseille in a fresh title bid, was made to fight hard for his ninth career ATP title with third seed Berdych not giving up his title easily.
The giant Czech took the first set on a single break, but Wawrinka leveled in the same fashion to force a decider
He pulled ahead but leading 4-1 was broken back until moving ahead again.
Berdych saved a match point but Wawrinka was not to be denied and sealed a 4-6 6-3 6-4 triumph.
In other ATP Tour final action Sunday, Japan’s Kei Nishikori won his third straight Memphis Open title as he beat Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-4.
Nishikori was claiming his eighth ATP crown, and his first since he won in Tokyo last October.
Meanwhile on the WTA Tour, Germany’s Andrea Petkovic won the Diamond Games tournament in Antwerp on a walkover when her final opponent Carla Suarez Navarro pulled out before the match with a neck injury.
The title continues Petkovic’s steady move up the rankings, she is set to move back into the top 10, after injury setbacks.
It is her sixth on the WTA Tour and fourth in the last 10 months, coming back after dropping outside the top 100 in the rankings.
With Suarez Navarro injured, tournament director and former world number one Kim Clijsters stepped in to play an exhibition against Petkovic and showed she is still a force by claiming a 5-3 victory in a short match.
“I hope you don’t take any offense Kim,” she said, “but I’m glad you are done playing on tour,” joked Petkovic.
