Sweden's Thomas Enqvist won the Marseille Open for the third time today, beating Frenchman Nicolas Escude 6-7 6-3 6-1.
The first set was perfectly balanced, with both players hitting a number of aces but struggling to break serve, and Escude clinched the tie-break with some sharp volleys.
The second set was shaping up the same way until the seventh game, when the Frenchman double-faulted twice to gift Enqvist a break point, which the Swede took before sealing the set.
A demoralised Escude was unable to threaten Enqvist again, and the Swede, who also won the tournament in 1997 and 1998, breezed through the deciding set as his opponent made a string of unforced errors.
Enqvist, the 1999 Australian Open runner-up, eliminated defending champion and second seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov in a marathon three-set semifinal on Saturday. He had seen off third seed Sebastien Grosjean in the quarter-finals.
Escude, the hero of France's Davis Cup victory over Australia last year, overcame compatriot Cedric Pioline, a former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist, and Briton Greg Rusedski on his way to the final.
