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Rotterdam - Martin Klizan pulled out another come-from-behind showpiece to win his fourth career title on Sunday with a 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, 6-1 defeat of Gael Monfils in the Rotterdam World Tennis final.
The swashbuckling world number 43 from Slovakia came into the final having saved eight match points in his previous clashes against Roberto Bautista Agut and Nicolas Mahut.
Klizan becomes the first Slovak to win the Dutch event, while fifth seeded French star Monfils now stands 5-18 in career finals.
World number 18 Monfils, whose last title was two years ago in Montpellier, looked to be in a winning position as he claimed the opening set in a tiebreaker after an hour on court.
But Kilzan had other plans, securing a break for 5-3 in the second set and pulling level at a set apiece moments later.
The comeback gained momentum as Klizan broke the fading 29-year-old Frenchman to start the third set and ran out to a 5-0 lead.
While serving for victory, Klizan suffered a blip by dropping serve but that was remedied in the next game with a break-back to secure the win, his eighth of the season against four defeats.
Klizan was out-aced 12 to 7 by Monfils, who was forced to save 11 of a barrage of 16 break points.
The champion was broken only once.
