 Stepanek believes he is finally reaching his peak after injury |
Radek Stepanek clinched the Brisbane International title after fighting back to beat Fernando Verdasco 3-6 6-3 6-4. Third seed Verdasco looked to have the edge when he took the first set but Stepanek started to use more drop shots to upset the Spaniard's rhythm. The move paid off as the 30-year-old eighth seed from the Czech Republic powered to his third ATP title. "I just played a few drop shots today. When I was young I played them every second rally," said Stepanek. "It was part of the game plan to get him out of the rhythm and to move him around the court and it worked quite well.  | 606: DEBATE |
"I was destroying the rhythm of the opponents since I was a kid and I'm still doing it but I'm more professional in many ways and that's the biggest difference." Stepanek has been on the professional circuit since 1996 but he said he was only just starting to reach his peak after a neck injury in 2006 stalled his career. "I had to start work from zero," added the world number 26. "Now it's been two years and I'm starting to feel again that I'm getting to the top physically." Third seed Marin Cilic of Croatia ended home favourite Somdev Dewarman's dreams of a fairytale first title by winning the Chennai Open 6-4 7-6 (7-3). The 20-year-old Cilic struggled at times against the 202nd-ranked Devwarman, 23, but saved nine of 10 break points to secure his second tour title.
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