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Ferrer wins Rio Open

Xinhua, February 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Spain's David Ferrer defeated Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-2, 6-3 to win Sunday's Rio Open final.

The tournament's second-seed took the match in one hour and 23 minutes to clinch his 23rd ATP singles title on the Brazilian Jockey's Club's clay court surface.

Fognini looked a shadow of the player who eliminated 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal a day earlier.

The Italian made 17 unforced errors in the first set as Ferrer combined his customary patience with ruthless power from the baseline.

The second set continued in a similar vein and Ferrer broke in the fourth game. Fognini broke back when Ferrer served at 5-1 but his resistance was fleeting as the world No. 9 held serve in the ninth game to secure victory.

"I thought that I would have to be aggressive and that's what happened. I'm very happy," Ferrer said.

In the women's final, top-seeded Sara Errani overcame Slovakia's Anna Schmiedlova 7-6 (2), 6-1.

The Italian's eighth ATP singles title propelled her to the 12th in the WTA rankings as she strives to return to the world's top 10.

"I'm close, but that's not my objective," she said. "The most important thing for me is to practice well, do things right and improve. And I think when you do things the right way, other things follow." Endi