ROTTERDAM — Jo-Wilfried Tsonga clinched his 13th career title on Sunday, rallying from a set down to beat David Goffin of Belgium 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the final of the Rotterdam World Tennis Tournament.
The sixth-seeded Frenchman hit 10 aces and, although he dropped his serve twice, he broke the third-seeded Goffin's serve four times.
Tsonga, ranked 14, lost the final here in Rotterdam six years ago. His previous title also came on indoor hardcourts in Metz, France, two years ago.
He improved to 4-2 overall in career meetings against the 11th-ranked Goffin, who won both of his career titles in 2014.
The 31-year-old Tsonga reached the milestone of 400 career wins this week, and victory in the final was his 401st.
In the semifinals, Tsonga rained down ten aces, finishing off Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-4 in 72 minutes Saturday.
Goffin defeated French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-1, 6-3 in 74 minutes.
Kerber keen for revival not top spot
Angelique Kerber insisted Sunday that reviving her flagging fortunes on tour is her main priority rather than reclaiming the world number one ranking from Serena Williams at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The German two-time Grand Slam champion took over top spot last September when she won the US Open.
However, she promptly lost the honor in Melbourne last month as Williams won the Australian Open, reclaiming her long-held number one ranking in the process.
Now Kerber, who went out in the Melbourne fourth round to American Coco Vandeweghe, is determined to prove she can still pose a threat on a regular basis.
"I was not feeling good last week in Doha," the German said Sunday as she prepared to start in Dubai in the second round as top seed.
"My body was not at 100 per cent — but I'm practicing well."
Kerber will be playing in the Dubai main draw for a fifth time but has never been past the third round.
Kerber is working to keep the ranking permutations out of her mind.
"It is more important to play my tennis and to find my rhythm again. That is what counts for me. I will give my best to win again a lot of matches and then we will see if I can get back to number One," she added.
Kerber heads a Dubai field which includes US Open finalist and number three Czech Karolina Pliskova, who won the Qatar title Saturday, WTA Tour Finals winner Dominika Cibulkova, and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.
However, the event has lost double Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova, Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and holder Sara Errani to injury.
In first round results Sunday, Australian 12th seed Samantha Stosur beat Zhang Kailin 6-3, 6-3, Tunisian qualifier Ons Jabeur surprised 14th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 7-6 (8/6), 2-6, 6-4 while French 15th seed Caroline Garcia became the first into the second round, defeating Swede Johanna Larsson 6-3, 6-3. — Agencies
