Malisse Edges Blake for Delray Beach Win

Monday, February 05, 2007

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DELRAY BEACH, Fla. —

Xavier Malisse of Belgium rallied past top-seeded James Blake 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 Monday, completing the rain-delayed final in the wind for his second Delray Beach International title.

The third-seeded Malisse trailed 7-5, 3-3 when play ended Sunday night. Malisse, who has appeared in the final of this tournament a record five times, captured his third title and 200th career victory.

"The court is almost perfect speed for me," Malisse said. "I feel like I can get to every ball if I'm in good shape. It's not too fast. Once you feel comfortable on a court it's just the way it goes sometimes.

When the two came back on court Monday, the conditions were extremely windy and Malisse made the adjustment quicker and better than Blake.

"I have to tell you if we would have played yesterday I probably would have lost," Malisse said. "He was hitting it hard yesterday and really clean. Today with the wind it slowed down his ball a little bit especially against the wind."

Blake, who came into the match with a 2-0 record against Malisse, agreed that he had the harder time adjusting to the conditions.

"I think wind is the biggest equalizer in tennis," Blake said. "It's pretty difficult to play your game the way you want to. But he did a better job of adjusting today and deserves to win. Yesterday, I felt I had more opportunities."

Malisse's previous victory against a top-10 player came during his run to winning last month's tournament in Chennai, India, when he upset No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.

At this event, Malisse lost one of his round-robin matches against Rainer Schuettler of Germany but still was able to capture the title.

"It does feel weird winning a tournament having lost a match," Malisse said. "That's just the way it is. But I don't feel any different. I won the matches I had to win."

The loss by Blake, the ninth-ranked American, made him the fourth top seed to lose in the final at the Delray Beach tournament _ a top seed has never won the title in the tournament's 15-year history.

Blake, who was looking for his 10th career title, never found his form on Monday and struggled with his backhand.

When the match resumed at 3-3, Blake lost his serve in the seventh game, enough of an advantage for Malisse to even the match at one set.

In the third set, Blake lost his service game at 15-40 in the third game.

Malisse also won the doubles title at the tournament. It is the second time this year he has picked up both singles and doubles titles at the same tournament.

Malisse and Hugo Armando won 6-3, 6-7 (5) over fourth-seeded James Auckland and Stephen Huss.

"It feels awesome," Malisse said of the victories. "I feel a little tired now. It's a good feeling."

Malisse is the first player to win the singles and doubles at two tournaments in one year since Yevgeni Kafelnikov picked up wins in Prague and the French Open in 1996.