Monfils bests Nieminen for Stockholm crown

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- France's Gael Monfils downed Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in three sets Sunday, claiming the title at the Stockholm Open.

Monfils posted a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Nieminen in a match that lasted just under 2 hours, collecting his first crown of the season and fourth of his career over the course of 15 finals appearances.

The Frenchman fired 13 aces in notching his first title since October 2010 in Montpellier. Since then he had lost in finals to Robin Soderling in Paris and Radek Stepanek in Washington.

Nieminen, meanwhile, lost a final for the 10th time in 11 tries, finishing as the Stockholm runner-up for the third time.