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Llodra wins in Rotterdam

Soderling goes down in three sets

Last updated: 24th February 2008

Llodra: Second win this year

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France's Michael Llodra battled his way to a gripping 6-7 6-3 7-6 victory over Robin Soderling in the final of the Rotterdam Open.

Llodra, who also won in Adelaide at the start of the year, became the fourth Frenchman after Cedric Pioline and Nicolas Escude (twice) to claim the Dutch event since the turn of the century in two hours and eight minutes.

Ranked 58th in the world before this week, Llodra closed out a dramatic week that saw all eight seeds knocked out before the quarter-finals, with the Frenchman upsetting second seed Nikolay Davydenko in round two.

"I could not have won this match a year ago," he admitted. "I could never have expected to win two tournaments in two months. But I'm fighting more now on every point and that can change a match.

"I was tired this morning and I knew the match would be tough. I stayed relaxed and I could tell that he was getting nervous.

"I knew that anything can happen in a tiebreak. I lost the first one but I won the one that really counted.

"I came here this week and saw the draw and knew it would be difficult and so it is unbelievable I'm standing here with the trophy."