Patience pays off as Simon wears down Almagro to become the latest Rothenbaum champ

Fittingly, the final between Nicolas Almagro and Gilles Simon was probably the best match of the week as the two top-20 players slogged it out for the Rothenbaum title. In the end it was Simon's agility and speed which prevailed as he wore down his opponent before the 3,500-strong crowd. After two hours and 39 minutes the 26-year-old secured the ninth ATP title of his career to become the first French champion at Rothenbaum for 25 years. "It was a tough match," said Simon, father with his partner Carine Lauret of a year-old son, Timothée. "I had to move an incredible amount, and I'm really delighted to have won here at one of my favorite tournaments."

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