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Rediff.com  » Sports » Becker, Tamarine win Den Bosch Open

Becker, Tamarine win Den Bosch Open

June 21, 2009 10:00 IST
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Germany's Benjamin Becker defeated Dutch wild card entry Raemon Sluiter 7-5, 6-3 to win the Den Bosch Open final on Saturday.

In the women's event, Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand had earlier successfully defended her title by defeating 19-year-old Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 7-5.

Becker, ranked 82 in the world, won the title in 115 minutes against an opponent playing in his first tournament since returning to the sport from retirement.

"I want to first congratulate Benny. He was simply the better one today," crowd favourite Sluiter said.

The 31-year-old also told a packed centre court speculation he might retire again if he lost the tournament was incorrect.

"I don't have the feeling that I have missed chances this week. I have more the feeling that I took chances," Sluiter said.

Becker, speaking in his native German, said he would return to defend his title next year, adding that Sluiter had made an unbelievable comeback.

The unseeded Tamarine, who defeated Russian world number one Dinara Safina in the semi-finals, swiftly took the first set in her final before meeting more resistance from Wickmayer, carrying a leg injury, in the second.

The 32-year-old Thai, wearing an orange coloured hat, eventually broke Belgian Wickmayer's serve in the 12th game of the set to take the match.

"I'd like to congratulate Yanina. You played a great a tournament. Definitely, I'm dead at the end," the world number 47 told centre court after accepting her trophy.

"You're making me run so much and playing so well."

Wickmayer's performance could lift the world number 72 and Belgium's highest ranked woman towards the top 50, tournament organisers said.

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Source: REUTERS
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