Monfils bags first title in a year at Montpellier

• The popular 33-year-old, who is world number nine and was top seed at Montpellier, last won on the tour at Rotterdam last year but was too good for Pospisil, who is ranked 132.

MONTPELLIER: Frenchman Gael Monfils won his first title in a year on Sunday after claiming the Montpellier ATP tournament with a 7-5, 6-3 straight sets victory over Canada's Vasek Pospisil.

The popular 33-year-old, who is world number nine and was top seed at Montpellier, last won on the tour at Rotterdam last year but was too good for Pospisil, who is ranked 132.

"I think that I was very solid and I'm really happy with how I managed the key moments, said Monfils.

This was a ninth career tournament win for Monfils and his third at Montpellier, where he also won in 2010 and 2014, which should see him jump one place to eighth in the world rankings.

"It was a great week, I'm really happy to have won again in France," the Parisian added.

Pospisil was expected to lose to his more illustrious rival and his mission became harder after falling during the match, as he appeared to be playing with an injury to his right leg.

However the 29-year-old can be proud of reaching the final after knocking out world number 10 David Goffin in the last four.