Kuerten takes Monte Carlo crown

Kuerten was impressive in his domination of the game

Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten won the Masters Series Monte Carlo by beating Moroccan Hicham Arazi in straight sets in Sunday's final.

Kuerten dominated his rival with his powerful groundstrokes and drop shots to win the five-set showdown 6-3 6-2 6-4 in the first major clay court event of the season.

Arazi amazed spectators in earlier rounds with his ability to retrieve even the most difficult shots.

But he was unable to keep pace with Kuerten, seeded second here, who seemed on top of every ball.

Arazi, who went out in the first round last year, "played unbelievably today," said Kuerten, who won here in 1999.

"It was a magical week," said the unseeded Arazi, who was appearing in his first ever Masters Series final.

Hicham Arazi failed to break Kuerten's stride

The Moroccan defeated a string of seeded players on his way to the last round.

The 27-year-old ousted third-seeded Magnus Norman of Sweden and reigning champion Cedric Pioline of France, and saw off Britain's Tim Henman in the quarter-final.

Kuerten, 24, won the French Open in 1997 and 2000.

He has previously won clay-court Masters titles in Hamburg and Rome and ended last year as the world's top-ranked player.

Currently ranked 11th in the ATP Champions Race, he is expected to move to third place after Sunday's win.