Mauresmo beats Capriati in Berlin

Mauresmo moves up to sixth in the rankings

German Open:
A Mauresmo (Fra) bt J Capriati (US) 6-4 2-6 6-3

Amelie Mauresmo put her name on the list of French Open favourites by winning the $1.185m German Open on Sunday.

The Frenchwoman's three-set victory over Jennifer Capriati gives her a fourth title this year and pushes her record to a tour-best 27-2.

"We both played some very good tennis," said Mauresmo, who will climb three spots up to sixth when the latest WTA rankings are released on Monday.

I felt I was playing really well but she played unbelievable. It was a very challenging match and definitely a gruelling one. It was a good variety match with a bit of everything

  Jennifer Capriati

"It must have been fun to watch."

Her beaten opponent concurred with the assessment.

"The score doesn't say how close it really was," said Capriati.

"I felt I was playing really well but she played unbelievable. It was a very challenging match and definitely a gruelling one. It was a good variety match with a bit of everything."

Mauresmo, who dismissed Martina Hingis in the semi-finals, took nearly two hours to beat the fourth-ranked American.

But when Capriati's forehand sailed out after saving two match points it was finally over.

Capriati has won only one in four finals since Australia

The 21-year-old's only two losses this year were close three-set matches against top-ranked Hingis and world number two Venus Williams.

She now joins a half-dozen players who could win the Grand Slam event in France, after climbing to sixth in the rankings.

However, it was more disappointment for Capriati, who has reached four finals out of five since winning the Australian Open, but only won one.

Tight game

The American was forced to slug it out from the start, fighting off two set points and wasting one herself.

After conceding the first set, Capriati came back to claim the second.

But Mauresmo broke open the tight match in the final set to take a decisive 3-1 lead before blasting the American away with some huge shots.

The German Open is a happy hunting ground for Mauresmo, who first burst onto the scene at the event two years ago when she reached the final as a wild card entry.