THE HAGUE, Feb. 17 -- Gael Monfils won the 46th edition of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam on Sunday, beating Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in the final.
Monfils broke Wawrinka twice to claim the first set, but in the second set the Frenchman was a little injured and seemed on his way to surrender. However, Monfils was able to bounce back in the third set, grab two breaks and convert his first matchpoint.
The 32-year-old Monfils and the 33-year-old Swiss Wawrinka both played their 29th ATP final, with Wawrinka winning sixteen of the previous ones and Monfils only seven.
Wawrinka had played his last final at Roland Garros in 2017. After that the former number three of the world, now 68 of the ATP world ranking, suffered from injuries, required two left knee surgeries in August 2017 and even thought of putting an end to his tennis career.
In the semifinals in Rotterdam, Wawrinka, tournament winner in 2017, had beaten first-placed Japanese Kei Nishikori 6-2, 4-6, 6-4, while Monfils had defeated Daniil Medvedev from Russia 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. After losing the final to Martin Klizan in 2016 Monfils on Sunday took his first title in Rotterdam.