Cam Norrie came good at the ATP Lyon event on Saturday, lifting the title a year after losing in the final here to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 11th-ranked British No 1 beat Slovak Alex Molcan 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-1 to claim his second trophy of the season after a February victory in Delray Beach.
“It is my first title on the clay so it means a lot to me,” Norrie said. “I can’t be happier with how I handled everything this week.
“This one feels the best so far. I don’t know why, it is just so special and I couldn’t be happier and am really speechless right now.
“It was an incredible atmosphere.”
The champion said his week on the French clay was a battle from the start, but will leave him in good form with Roland Garros beginning in Paris on Sunday.,
Norrie took the win the hard way, wasting a pair of match point chances in the second set but grinding out a three-set success in the end.
“I had chances to close matches in straight sets this week and get it done easier than usual – but it didn’t go that way.
“But I was able to let that go and respond. In the third set I moved really well and it is nice to get over the line.”
Norrie’s win – the fourth of his career – marked his first outside of North America.
He won after nearly two and a half hours with six aces and seven breaks of serve against a player coached by Novak Djokovic’s former mentor Marian Vajda.
Main photo:- Cameron Nnorrie winning in Lyon