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Wawrinka downs Berdych to win Rotterdam title

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland stretches to hit a return to Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during their men's singles third round match at the Australian Open 2015 tennis tournament in Melbourne January 24, 2015. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

(Reuters) - Stanislas Wawrinka claimed his first indoor silverware when he beat holder Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-4 to win the ABN-AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Sunday. The Swiss gradually turned a heavyweight duel between the top-10 rivals his way after losing the first set and marched on to a sixth successive victory against the Czech. A weary-looking Berdych saved one match point at 5-3 in the deciding set but Wawrinka sealed victory a game later with a swinging first serve that his opponent returned long. "It's my first (ATP World Tour) 500 title and winning indoors is something special for me personally. It's always amazing to win a trophy. It's the best feeling," Wawrinka was quoted as saying on the ATP's website (www.atpworldtour.com). "It's been an amazing week. It wasn't easy, but every match I found my way. It was a great final. Tomas was playing really well, but I'm happy to turn that match for me and win the title." It was Wawrinka's second title of the year after he triumphed in Chennai in January before falling at the semi-final stage of the Australian Open where he was defending champion. Berdych felt he had let the match slip away from him. "I'm disappointed with the way the match finished," he said. "I had my chances in the beginning of the second set and I didn't make them so I think that cost me the match." (Writing by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)