Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Sports Network) - Juan Monaco of Argentina outlasted
Frenchman Julien Benneteau in three sets to capture the Malaysian Open title.
The second-seeded Monaco went more than three hours before finally pulling out
a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory in Sunday's final. He earned his seventh career title
and fourth this year.
Monaco previously won in Vina del Mar, Houston and Hamburg, and on Sunday
became just the third player to win as many as four tournaments in 2012. Roger
Federer leads with six titles this year, while David Ferrer has five and
Rafael Nadal four.
It was also the first title on a surface other than clay for Monaco, who
improved to 7-9 all-time in finals and will return to the top 10 in next
week's rankings.
Benneteau, who knocked off the top-seeded Ferrer in the semifinals, saved six
set points Sunday before finally succumbing in a first set that took 81
minutes. The two split a pair of early service breaks in the second set, but
the Frenchman picked up a second to win the set and force a decisive third.
Monaco broke for a 4-2 lead in the third and Benneteau saved one match point
at 2-5 before the Argentine finally finished it in the following game.
The 30-year-old Benneteau fell to 0-7 lifetime in title matches, including 0-2
this year. He also lost to Jarkko Nieminen in Sydney back in January and was
trying to become the first player at least 30 years old to capture his first
title since Wayne Arthurs, who was 33 when he claimed his maiden crown in 2005
with a triumph in Scottsdale.
Monaco, who played Benneteau for the first time, collected a first prize of
$153,400.
The Sports Network