Aravane Rezai won her second title of the year after defeating Gisela Dulko 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Swedish Open final Saturday. The Frenchwoman prevailed in 2-1/4 hours to claim her fourth career title. Rezai cruised to the final of the clay-court tournament without losing a set, but the Argentine pushed her all the way in an entertaining but error-strewn final on center court. “I didn't play very well at the end of the second set and she kept fighting,” Rezai said. “She showed that she can run everywhere and play well and try to break my rhythm.” Rezai overcame nine double faults to beat Dulko, who had downed top-seeded Flavia Pennetta to make it to the final. Rezai, who beat Venus Williams to win the Madrid Open in May, won the first set comfortably after breaking Dulko's serve twice. Dulko responded by breaking Rezai in the first game of the second and twice again to win the set on a warm day in southern Sweden. Rezai opened a 4-0 lead in the third but was taken to 5-4 before breaking Dulko's serve for the fourth time in the set to win the title. It was Rezai's first win over Dulko in three meetings. Home favorite Robin Soderling will defend his title at the men's tournament, which starts Monday. Szavay, Schnyder in final In Hungary, home favorite Agnes Szavay will defend her title against Switzerland's Patty Schnyder in the final of the Budapest Grand Prix Sunday. The encounter will be an encore of last year's final, which saw Szavay win her first title in her homeland and her third on the WTA Tour. In Saturday's semifinals, the seventh-seeded Szavay upset second-seeded Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania 6-1, 5-7, 7-5, while Schnyder defeated qualifier Zuzana Ondraskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. “It was a very long match and the weather was very hot. Despite that, I feel I can do my best tomorrow, as well,” Szavay said. Schnyder will be attempting to win her 12th title and her first since Bali in 2008. Fish advances to semifinals In Rhode Island, fifth-seed Mardy Fish defeated Frank Dancevic of Canada 6-7 (6) 6-4, 6-4 to reach semifinals at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships Friday. Fish blew a 5-2 lead in the first set and almost did it again in the third set, when he led 4-1. Fish reached his fifth ATP semifinals at the grass-court tournament. He'll play the winner of the match between Ryan Harrison of the United States and Richard Bloomfield of Britain. Fish had knee surgery last September, dropped 30 pounds (14kg) and entered the week ranked 79th. “I feel fine physically. When I had the knee injury I was hurting and I was too heavy,” he said. “I worked extremely hard with it - harder than anything I have my whole life. The results are showing.” On Friday, he lost the first set when he hit a forehand return long. During the changeover, he had words with Dancevic and was issued a verbal abuse warning by the chair umpire. “Nothing that doesn't happen most matches for me,” he said, smiling. “It was heat-of-the-moment type stuff.” In the second set, Fish broke at love to go up 3-2. He closed out the set with a backhand shot down the sideline. He took charge by breaking in the first and third games of the final set for a 4-1 lead. Dancevic, playing just his second tournament of the year after being sidelined by back surgery, said the lengthy match wore him down. “I felt the heat a little bit in the third set,” he said. Fish will be aiming for his second final of the season. He lost to Sam Querrey at Queen's Club last month.
