Tennis: Berdych upsets Ljubicic in Paris final

PARIS - Tomas Berdych sealed one of the shocks of the season when he tamed in-form Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 6-4 to win the Paris Masters.

The 20-year-old Czech, ranked 50th in the world, held his nerve in the five-set thriller to end the brilliant indoor run of sixth seed Ljubicic and capture his first Masters Series title.

The unseeded Berdych wasted three match points before hitting a backhand winner to seal victory after just over three hours of pulsating tennis.

Ljubicic, who had won 20 of his last 22 matches to take titles in Metz and Vienna before stretching Rafael Nadal to five sets in the Madrid Masters final, still has plenty to look forward to.

His Paris campaign won him a ticket to the eight-strong Masters Cup from Nov. 13 in Shanghai. The 26-year-old will also carry Croatian hopes in their Davis Cup final against Slovakia.

- REUTERS