Greg Rusedski rolled back the years to win the Hall of Fame Tennis
Championship at Newport, Rhode Island.
He had won his first ATP title here as a fresh-faced 20-year-old in 1993 when
playing under the Canadian flag.
Rusedski reclaimed his place in the world's top 100 by out-gunning fellow
big-server Alexander Popp 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/5).
And the Briton then hit out at critics who had called on him to quit after
failing a drugs test at Indianapolis last summer.
He was eventually cleared this year by an anti-doping panel who heard that he
had taken supplements supplied by ATP trainers.
"My critics were basically telling me to retire," Rusedski said. "I'm glad
I hung in there.
"I think the advantage I had over Popp is this was his first final and it was
my 25th.
"This is the start of a comeback. I've had a miserable two years. It's a
great feeling to come back here 11 years later."
Neither player lost his serve in the final as Rusedski saved four break points
and Popp three.
And Rusedski blasted 11 aces in the final, bringing his total for five matches
in the tournament to 63.
Popp, whose mother is British, said: "I just lost the match because he served
a little better."
Rusedski now moves on to Los Angeles where he competes in the Mercedes-Benz
Cup.
A tough opener awaits there, with American Taylor Dent his first-round
opponent.
Rusedski is not seeded in the event, as he was not in Newport, but another
good showing would nudge him closer to the top 50.
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