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Serena triumphs at Charleston

Granollers-Pujol stuns Blake for maiden title

— PHOTO: AP

SPLENDID SHOW: American Serena Williams held her nerve to defeat Russia’s Vera Zvonareva in the final on Sunday.

HOUSTON: Spain’s Marcel Granollers-Pujol rallied from three games down in the final set to upset top seed American James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 and win the U.S. men’s clay court tennis Championship and his first ATP title on Sunday.

The 22-year-old, who came into the event ranked 84th in the world and seeded seventh, had never previously advanced past the quarterfinals of an ATP tournament, but battled back gamely against the World No. 8 to seal a deserved victory.

“It’s the best day of my life, I think, and I’m very happy for this,” Granollers-Pujol told reporters

“I’ve played tennis since I was very young and have always dreamed of a day like this,” added the Spaniard, who plunged into the swimming pool at the River Oaks Country Club, the tournament venue, to celebrate his win.

Serena’s recovery

Meanwhile at Charleston, Serena Williams recovered from a second-set lapse to win her third WTA title of the year by beating Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the Family Circle Cup final on Sunday.

The fifth-seeded American fought back from an early break down in the third set to wrap up victory in one hour and 50 minutes.

“It was definitely an up-and-down final like most of my matches have been this week,” the World No. 9 Williams said in a courtside television interview.

Federer wins

Elsewhere, World No. 1 Roger Federer won his first title of the season, the Estoril Open, on Sunday after Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury.

The Swiss top seed saved a set point before winning the opener 7-6(5). He was 2-1 down in the second when the No. 2 seed Davydenko announced his decision to retire.

The results: At Monte Carlo (Monte Carlo Masters): First round: Mario Ancic bt Ivo Minar 6-3, 6-4; Kristof Vliegen bt Fabrice Santoro 7-6(4), 6-1; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Michael Llodra 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1; Olivier Rochus bt Tommy Haas 6-1, 3-0 (retired); Filippo Volandri bt Nicholas Mahut 6-2, 6-3; Andy Murray bt Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5), 6-4; Sam Querrey bt Carlos Moya 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; Robin Soderling bt Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-3.

At Houston (ATP U.S. clay court Championship): Final: Marcel Granollers-Pujol bt James Blake 6-4, 1-6, 7-5.

At Charleston (WTA Family Circle Cup): Final: Serena Williams bt Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

At Valencia (ATP Valencia Open): Final: David Ferrer bt Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(2).

At Estoril (ATP & WTA Estoril Open): Final: Men: Roger Federer bt Nikolay Davydenko 7-6(5), 1-2 (retired). — Agencies

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