Consistency is key as Robin Soderling retains title

Swede Robin Soderling retained his World Indoor Tournament title by outlasting Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 3-6 6-3 yesterday.

In a serve-dominated final, Tsonga boomed down 20 aces to Soderling's 12 but the Swede produced the greater consistency to triumph again in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam.

Tsonga, in his first ATP final since October 2009, rallied in the second set by finishing off some neat approach play with point-clinching volleys but a break in the eighth game of the decider prompted his downfall.

"It has been a tough week as defending your title always gives some extra pressure. I played some close games but the margins have been on my side," said Soderling, who is the fourth player to retain the title after Arthur Ashe, Stefan Edberg and Nicolas Escude.

In France, new women's world No 1 Kim Clijsters was defeated 6-4 6-3 by Czech fourth seed Petra Kvitova in the Paris Open final.

Top seed Clijsters, who won the Australian Open last month before helping Belgium into the Fed Cup last four, secured her place as the new number one by reaching the semi-finals at the Stade Coubertin.