Soderling beats Tsonga to retain Rotterdam title

Soderling retained his World Indoor Tournament title by outlasting Tsonga.

Rotterdam: Swede Robin Soderling retained his World Indoor Tournament title by outlasting Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on Sunday.

In a serve-dominated final, Tsonga boomed down 20 aces to Soderling`s 12 but the Swede produced the greater consistency to triumph again in the Dutch port city.Tsonga, in his first ATP final since October 2009, rallied in the second set by finishing off some neat approach play with point-clinching volleys but a break in the eighth game of the decider prompted his downfall. "It has been a tough week as defending your title always gives some extra pressure... played some close games but the margins have been on my side," Soderling, who lost his first Rotterdam final in 2008 before beating Mikhail Youzhny last year, told reporters. "I had some luck surviving a matchpoint (2nd round against Philipp Kohlschreiber), but if you want to win a tournament like this you need some luck.""With three finals and two wins in Rotterdam I can say that I like it here and that the circumstances suit my game." Soderling is the fourth player to retain the title after Arthur Ashe, Stefan Edberg and Nicolas Escude. Bureau Report