Tim Henman won his first ATP title since January 2002 on Sunday when he overcame Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the final of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington.

The British number one, seeded 10th, beat the fourth seed 6-3 6-4 to claim his 10th career title from 25 finals.

Henman was playing in his first tournament since being beaten by Sebastien Grosjean of France in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, as he prepares for the US Open which takes place in New York later this month.

He beat American second seed Andy Roddick, winner of the tournament in 2001, in three sets to reach the final.

His win represents a major breakthrough on his road back from shoulder surgery last November. He missed the Australian Open in January - the first Grand Slam he did not play in since the 1995 French Open - and proceeded to lose six of his first eight matches of the season.

However, the 28-year-old rediscovered his form on grass reaching the semi-finals at Queen's Club in London and the last eight at Wimbledon but this week brought his first ATP final appearance since Queen's in June 2002.

Henman said: "I lost a couple of other finals in the States. I lost in Indian Wells and in LA, so I was keen to get a win on American soil and also my 10th title.

"So it's a special day for me. I didn't arrive here until Sunday and it wasn't the ideal preparation, but it was just a question of getting acclimatised and getting used to these courts. And obviously with the result today, I've done it pretty well."

The match was held up by rain for 86 minutes soon after the start and a further delay, as Henman was serving for the first set, lasted nine minutes.

But the British number one coped well with the interruptions and was pleased to overcome a tricky opponent.

"He's a great player," he added. "I know so many of these young guys coming up, and he's got such a strong game. It was never going to be easy.

"I think today's conditions were probably the toughest we've had to play in. As I shook his hand, he said 'see you on Tuesday' because we play first round in Montreal. So he has his chance for revenge."