France's Gilles Simon came through a second-set stutter to beat Serbian Viktor Troicki 7-5 7-6 in the final of the Sydney tennis International.
The 26-year-old former world number six, who recovered from a 3-love deficit at the start of the second set, continued his return from a knee injury with his eighth tour title, triumphing after two gripping 58-minute sets at the Sydney Olympic Park.
Fourth seed Troicki, roared on by a large section of Serbian Sydneysiders, played his part in the entertaining contest but showed his inexperience with mistakes at key moments and ended up a ball of frustration.
Simon's fifth victory in five meetings with Troicki was a vindication of sorts after he was dropped for the deciding rubber against the 24-year-old in France's Davis Cup final defeat to Serbia last month.
