Steffi Graf had to struggle Sunday to beat Spain`s Arantxa Sanchez Vicario for the second year in a row in the final of the $550,000 Berlin Open. This time, Graf rallied to top the world`s No. 5 player 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 and take her sixth title at the clay-court tournament. It was the 64th tournament trophy of her career.
Graf, 23, acknowledged she was not up to par.
”The most important thing is that when the pressure was on, I did the right things,” Graf said. ”I certainly haven`t played well in the past two days, but I`ve won somehow. I used to be too impatient to win like that.
”Any tournament you win for the sixth time is a huge success. I think it`s super.”
Graf will rest for two days and then travel to Paris for the French Open. She earned $110,000 in prize money. Sanchez Vicario won $44,000.
Graf, ranked second in the world, has won 13 of her 15 matches against Sanchez Vicario.
