THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ADELAIDE, Australia — Michael Llodra, a late addition to the Australian men’s hardcourt tennis championships, won the final Sunday by beating Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-4.
Llodra entered the tournament as a replacement for fellow Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who pulled out because of a knee injury.
He did not drop serve all week and won the title in his second attempt. He was beaten in the finals in 2004.
Llodra took a 3-0 lead in the first set and stayed in control for the rest of the match, winning his second career ATP title. He also won S’Hertegenbosch in 2004.
Martin Garcia of Argentina and Marcelo Melo of Brazil won the doubles title, beating the Australian pair of Chris Guccione and Robert Smeets 6-3, 3-6 and 10-7 in the match tiebreaker.
It was the last time that the Memorial Drive courts hosted the Australian hardcourt title. Next year, the tournament will shift to Brisbane in Queensland state and be combined with the women’s hardcourts as a joint ATP-WTA event.