Gaudenzi grabs Austrian title

Gaudenzi is handed the second title of his ATP career

Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi claimed Raiffeisen Grand Prix title on Saturday with a 6-0 7-5 win in the final over local hero Markus Hipfl.

The victory in Austria gives Gaudenzi only his second title in his ATP career.

On paper, it looked an evenly-matched contest as both players entered the $425,000 tournament as wildcards, and without seedings.

But the 27-yer-old Italian, who also shares the same coach as Hipfl, put on a steady display to overcome his opponent in just over 90 minutes on a sun-drenched clay court.

I was more solid, and Markus didn't play his forehand as well as he had been the past few days

  Andrea Gaudenzi

Playing in his first final of an ATP tournament, Hipfl, who takes on number two seed Marat Safin in the first round of the French Open next week, made a nervous start.

A series of unforced errors by the 23-year-old Austrian allowed Gaudenzi to win the first set without the loss of a single game.

However, Hipfl, buoyed by the home crowd, began to turn the match around in the second set as Gaudenzi suffered his own flutter of nerves.

He broke in the fourth game, but Gaudenzi regained his focus to break back in the seventh and break again in the 11th, taking the set and match on his first of three match balls.

"I was more solid, and Markus didn't play his forehand as well as he had been the past few days," Gaudenzi said.