Ljubicic powers past Moya to take Chennai Open

CHENNAI, India (Reuters) – World number nine and top seed
Ivan Ljubicic dethroned twice champion Carlos Moya of Spain 7-6
6-2 to win the Chennai Open on Sunday.

The Croat showed no ill effects from his tough three-set
semi-final win over Belgian Kristof Vliegen earlier in the day,
overpowering crowd favorite Moya in an engrossing tussle in the
southern Indian city.

The first set lasted close to an hour. Trailing 5-6 in the
tie-break, the 26-year-old Ljubicic, who led his country to
their maiden Davis Cup title last year, rifled in two aces to
put the pressure on the Spaniard who then double-faulted to
lose the set.

Moya, forced to come through four grueling three-setters to
reach the final, was broken in the third and fifth games in the
second set.