Ferrer finally breaks through for his first Masters title
PARIS — Spain’s David Ferrer clinched his maiden Masters title when he ended Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz’s brilliant run in Paris with a 6-4, 6-3 win on Sunday.
Fourth-seeded Ferrer, the first Spaniard to prevail at Bercy, proved too consistent for world No. 69 Janowicz, who had beaten five top 20 players en route to the final.
Ferrer has won titles on every surface this season.
“I was very nervous because it was my chance to win a first Masters title but somehow, I knew this time was my turn,” Ferrer told a courtside interviewer.
Having bagged seven titles in 2012, Ferrer surpassed Roger Federer’s six, but the Spaniard played down the achievement ahead of the Tour finals.
“Maybe I won more titles than Federer, but Federer won the important titles. Federer or (Novak) Djokovic or Andy Murray, not me,” he told said. “But it’s still important because it has been the best season of my career.”
Czechs keep Fed Cup
PRAGUE — The Czech Republic retained its Fed Cup title Sunday when Lucie Safarova routed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-1, 6-1 for an unassailable 3-1 lead against the first-time finalists.
Safarova won the second reverse singles in the best-of-five series.
She captured the match against a former No. 1-ranked player with a forehand on her second match point before an ecstatic sellout home crowd.
“It’s hard to describe how I feel. I played an unbelievable game,” said Safarova.
“I desperately wanted to win and I’m really delighted. It’s fantastic to win at home, in Prague.
“I played one of the best matches of my career.”
The Czechs are the third country in a row to successfully defend the Fed Cup title. Russia won in 2007-08 and Italy 2009-10.
The Czechs won their first title last year since Czechoslovakia’s split in 1993. Czechoslovakia won five times, including three straight from
1983-85.
Petrova a champ
SOFIA — Nadia Petrova stunned top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-1 to win the Tournament of Champions on Sunday, clinching her third WTA title of the year.
Petrova said “it was a great way to finish the season by winning the title in Sofia, and the doubles in Istanbul” after a first win in the past five matches against Wozniacki.
The Russian also won titles in the Netherlands and Japan this year.