After going without a title for three years
heading into 2004, Dominik Hrbaty won his third of the season on Sunday in
Marseille.
The Slovakian rallied from a set down to beat Swedish teenager Robin Soderling
4-6 6-4 6-4 in the final of the Marseille Open.
Hrbaty has only entered five tournaments so far this season, so his haul of
titles is terrifically impressive.
The 26-year-old had not won a title since 2001 before claiming consecutive
tournaments in Adelaide and Auckland at the start of the year.
This was his sixth career crown and took him into the lead in titles for the
season, moving past Lleyton Hewitt.
"It's incredible, I wouldn't have dreamed about that," he said after
collecting his first indoor crown.
"I'm playing well, serving well. Probably the beginning of the year when I
won a couple of the tournaments gave me the confidence and now I can play even
indoors.
"When you have confidence and believe in yourself and you know that you are
playing well, it's almost 50% of the victory."
Soderling, 19, was hoping to win his first career ATP tournament victory and
become the youngest champion of this event.
He lost the second final of his promising career, but knocked out two seeds
this week in Fernando Gonzalez and Arnaud Clement.
"I've been a bit unlucky today and I did not play my best tennis, but Dominik
is playing great tennis and deserved to win," said Soderling.
"He's won three titles in the first two months of the year, if he continues
like that he's going to be in the top 10 soon."
Feeling sick during the final and with a high temperature since Friday night,
Hrbaty dropped the first set after losing his serve at 4-4.
But he broke Soderling in the last game of the second set after requiring a
medical timeout, and again at 5-4 in the final set to seal victory.
"I won because of my experience today," said Hrbaty.
"I've played more finals than Robin, and I think that made the difference.
"Robin is very young and will have many more chances to win titles in the
future."
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