Gaël Monfils, winner of the If Stockholm Open 2011
Jarkko Nieminen will have to wait to win in Stockholm. First-seeded Gaël Monfils took his first title of the year today when he defeated the Finnish player in the final with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
Today Gaël Monfils took the If Stockholm Open title from Roger Federer. On the Frenchman's road to the final two of his three matches went to three sets, and today's final was also decided in the last set. Unlike earlier games in the tournament, Monfils was more focused on the court today.
“My concentration was the key for me today, I never lost concentration,” said Monfils at the press conference. The Frenchman was impressed after the game with the way Nieminen played.
“He played very tough. I'm more impressed with him today than I was when we played three weeks ago,” said Monfils.
Nieminen was very pleased with himself and his performance, but felt like he did not have enough energy left at the end of the match.
“I gave everything I had today, but unfortunately I had no more. It has been an incredible week…the best this year,” he said after the game.
Nieminen thanked his coaches, sponsors, spectators, leaders and employees of the tournament. He promised the audience to come back and fight for the title again.
“It's not just me who thinks that this is the world's best competition. It's always fun to play in the final here. I will come back and try to win,” said Jarkko Nieminen in his acceptance speech.