Top-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet capped a spectacular run in the Mumbai Open with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over eighth-seeded Belgian Olivier Rochus in the final here on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Frenchman faced a brief resistance in the second set before winning his first ATP title of the season in an hour and 26 minutes on a hot and humid day.
The Wimbledon semi-finalist kept pressure on world number 66 Rochus from the beginning with his steady and powerful backhand. World number 14 Gasquet, who had not dropped a set in the tournament, was quick to assert his supremacy as he earned an early break which was enough to win the opening set.
The 26-year-old Belgian, playing in his first ATP final of the season, made an unimpressive start when he dropped his serve in the second game following a couple of unforced errors and a double-fault.
Gasquet began in a similar fashion in the second set when he broke Rochus in the opening game, but this time he was not allowed to build on his early advantage.
Rochus broke back immediately and then briefly matched his higher-ranked opponent shot for shot before dropping his serve in the seventh game.
Gasquet, playing big points better, then never gave his rival a chance to bounce back into the match as he held his serve in the remaining games to emerge a deserving winner.