Guillermo Canas edged out fellow countryman and French Open champion Gaston Gaudio to record a thrilling five-set victory in the Mercedes Cup final in Stuttgart.

Second-seed Gaudio, who beat another Argentine in Guillermo Coria at Roland Garros last month, played his part in a superb encounter between two claycourt specialists.

Canas eventually took the 104,000 euro (£69,000) prize by winning the deciding set to seal a 5-7 6-2 6-0 1-6 6-3 victory.

The win is Canas' first title of the season and fourth of his nine-year career.