Playing two matches in one day finally took its toll on Magnus Norman.
Unseeded Spaniard Francisco Clavet captured his first career hardcourt title
by defeating a sluggish Norman 6-4 6-2 to win the Franklin Templeton Tennis
Classic, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Swedish number three seed was forced to play two games after his
semi-final match was postponed by rain on Saturday night.
Norman struggled past unseeded Israeli Harel Levy 7-6 (7/3) 7-6 (10/8) in the
morning to earn his place in the final.
Fatigue appeared to play a factor in the final as he committed 21 unforced
errors in the first set, the last one coming on set point in the 10th game when
he netted a forehand.
Clavet got the crucial break in the sixth game of the second set as a forehand
passing shot gave him a 4-2 advantage. Serving to stay in the match at 2-5,
Norman managed to save three match-points but could not rescue a fourth after
hitting a forehand wide.
Clavet, 32, claimed his eighth career title, but first on hard courts with the
other seven coming on clay.