TENNIS ROUNDUP : Ninth-Seeded Bruguera Upsets Becker in 4 Sets

Sergi Bruguera of Spain outlasted Boris Becker on a day when the second-seeded Becker said he “could have won every set.”

Instead, the 20-year-old Spaniard defeated Becker, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4), Monday in a 4-hour 5-minute final of the Monte Carlo Open in Monaco.

Becker was serving for the first set at 5-4 Sunday when the rain washed out play until Monday.

“He’s in the form of his life,” said Becker, who was up at least a service break in all four sets.

It was the third consecutive clay-court final for ninth-seeded Bruguera, who earned his first tournament victory at Estorial, Portugal, and lost at Barcelona.

“To win a tournament like Monte Carlo and beat a player like Becker is the dream of my life,” said Bruguera, who took home $125,000 from the $1-million purse.

Monday, Becker led, 3-1, in the third and fourth sets and was serving, 5-3, for the fourth when he was broken by Bruguera.

With the French Open beginning May 27, Becker is confident.

“I am trying to save the big one for the future,” he said. “Basically I know I am able to beat almost anybody on clay now.”

Mats Wilander, the former top player in the world now ranked 64th, beat Henrik Jan Davids of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-4, in the first round of a tournament at Madrid.

Martin Sinner of Germany upset eighth-seeded Luiz Mattar of Brazil, 6-4, 6-4.

Niclas Kroon of Sweden upset third-seeded Jaime Yzaga of Peru, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round of the $250,000 USTA Men’s Clay Courts at Tampa, Fla.

Second-seeded Jimmy Arias downed Jim Pugh, 6-2, 6-3.