Gasquet wins Qatar Open in three sets

DOHA, Qatar, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Richard Gasquet of France lost the first set Saturday and then rallied to beat Nikolay Davydenko for the Qatar Open championship.

Gasquet struggled in the first set but was on a roll at the end, breaking the Russian veteran's serve three times in the third set and grabbing a 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 triumph.

"He was playing fast in the first set," Gasquet said afterward. "I just tried to keep focused and to fight a lot, and I did it."

Gasquet improved to 8-10 lifetime in title matches.

Davydenko was playing in his third Qatar final in four years. He won the event in 2010 and was runner-up in 2011. He conceded he felt fatigue in his legs by the time the third set began.