Tennis: Malisse wins first title

Xavier Malisse finally captured his first ATP singles title today, defeating Czech Jiri Novak in the final of the $US380,000 ($493,442) Millennium International tennis tournament.

Malisse, the No.3 seed, downed the second-seeded Czech 7-6 (8-6) 6-2 earning his first career singles title in his seventh career final.

It was the 24-year-old's third appearance in the final at this event, after runner-up finishes in 1999 and 2001.

Novak, 29, had won 17 of his last 20 matches, a stretch that included tournament victories in Basel and Tokyo last year.

Associated Press