Tennis: Stepanek wins Washington title

WASHINGTON: Radek Stepanek became the oldest winner of the ATP Washington Classic since Jimmy Connors in 1988, the 32-year-old Czech upsetting French top-seed Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4 in the ATP Legg Mason Tennis Classic final. Stepanek won his first ATP title in two and a half years and the fifth of his career, rushing the net to control the tempo and frustrate the fleet-footed Frenchman to claim the $264,000 top prize at the $1.4 million event. “It’s a great satisfaction for me,” said Stepanek. “It’s great to still be able to compete with the young guns.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2011.