Philippoussis successfully defends title

San Jose California, Feb 14: Coming up with big serves and clever shotmaking at big moments, Australian Mark Philippoussis successfully ...

San Jose California, Feb 14: Coming up with big serves and clever shotmaking at big moments, Australian Mark Philippoussis successfully defended his title at the 375,000 Sybase Open with a 7-5 4-6 6-3 win over unseeded Swede Mikael Tillstrom.

8220;It is always tough to come back and defend a title. It does a lot for my self-confidence,8221; Philippoussis said after the win.

Tillstrom, who knocked off three seeds this week, said he ran out of gas.8220;I was sore,8221; said Tillstrom. 8220;The four matches before I had to run a lot from the baseline. I wasn8217;t moving as well as I did during the week.8221;

Rosset wins Swiss final
MARSEILLE: Veteran Marc Rosset edged young prospect Roger Federer 2-6 6-3 7-6 7-5 in an all-Swiss final to capture the ATP Men8217;s tennis tournament in Marseille. The two Swiss players squared off a week after finding themselves in the middle of a row over the Nation8217;s Davis Cup team, which lost to Australia 3-2 in the first round. Rosset and Federer were both upset after coach JakobHlasek kept Rosset off the squad, owing to a personality clash.

Injured Serena bows out
PARIS: French veteran Nathalie Tauziat was too solid for injured Serena Williams when she won the Paris Open 7-5 6-2 on Sunday.
Outwitted for most of the first set by the experienced Tauziat, playing in her 20th final, Williams lost ground in the second set, partly because of a knee injury.
The 18-year-old American top seed and title holder had to receive treatment early in the second set and spent most of the dying minutes of the match close to tears. 8220;It happened all of a sudden at 2-1 in the first set. I8217;m sorry,8221; she said.
Williams had won the first title of her career here last year.

Kiefer defeats Ferrero
DUBAI: Nicolas Kiefer of Germany defeated Spain8217;s Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5 4-6 6-3 to win the one million Dubai Open. The 22-year-old Kiefer required 2 hours and 28 minutes to clinch his fifth career title and 137,000 Dollars in prize money.