Juan Martin Del Potro collected his first career title by toppling second seed Richard Gasquet in the final of the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.

Del Porto became the sixth first-time winner on the ATP Tour this season at the red clay event, winning 74% of points on his serve and claiming four breaks on his way to a 6-4 7-5 triumph.

En route to the crown, the unseeded Argentinian defeated three seeded players, starting with fourth-seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarter-finals. He also topped countryman and eighth seed Eduardo Schwank in the semis.

While Del Porto was enjoying what could be a breakthrough moment in his career, Gasquet was once again left to reflect on another below-par diplay.

A five-time title winner on the tour and a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, the 22-year-old Frenchman has inexplicably struggled in 2008, advancing to just one quarter-final before this week.

Ranked as high as seventh in the world in February, Gasquet has slipped to 15th heading into this tournament.

In his first final since Tokyo last October, Gasquet could not cope with Del Porto's serve, managing just two break chances without a conversion.