Hrbaty claims Auckland win

Hrbaty has been building up his fitness

Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty ground down Spaniard Francisco Clavet 4-6 6-2 6-3 to win the Auckland Open tennis tournament in New Zealand.

Hrbaty dropped his serve in the first game and was well matched by Clavet throughout the first set in a series of lengthy rallies.

But if Hrbaty, the tournament's second seed, was feeling the effects of three Friday matches in the rain-affected tournament, his superior stamina eventually showed through.

In the second set he was up 5-0 before a visibly tired Clavet picked up a game on his own service.

Mountain training

Hrbaty, 23, pressed home the advantage early in the third set to lead his 32-year-old rival 2-0.

Clavet quickly broke back but Hrbaty's ability to last the distance in the one hour and 55 minute match proved greater and the Spaniard lost the last three games on the trot.

Afterwards, Hrbaty said he had felt the benefit of recent mountain training in building up his fitness.

"In the beginning (of the match) I was a little bit not too warmed up and taking a long time to get into play but finally I made it," said Hrbaty.

Feel better

Clavet said he had come from the Qatar Open with an injury and had surprised himself in reaching the final.

He said: "When I came here I just wanted to feel better, to hit the ball and see what happened - and suddenly I was in the final."

The two players now travel to the Australian Open, where Hrbaty is 14th seed.

Subject to first round wins, they are scheduled to clash again there in the second round.