Sanchez-Vicario takes sixth Spanish Open title
May 26, 2001

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario warmed up for Roland Garros by taking the Spanish Open title with a 7-5 6-0 victory over Angeles Montolio in the final on Saturday. It was a sixth Spanish Open title for the 29-year-old Spaniard but the first since the tournament moved from Barcelona to Madrid in 1996. Sanchez-Vicario, seeded 11 at the French Open, which begins in Paris on Monday, was given a tough workout by her 25-year-old opponent in the first set.

In an untidy first set, Montolio got the first break in game four for a 3-1 lead but could not consolidate. She managed to save four break points in the next but then saw all the effort wasted as she put a backhand wide on the fifth.

The match between two baseliners with similarly styles continued to see-saw with neither player serving convincingly, before Sanchez-Vicario edged 5-4 ahead.

The three-times French Open champion missed her first opportunity to serve for the set but she broke again in the next and served out to take it 7-5.

Montolio, with two WTA titles to her credit this season, faded badly in the second set as Sanchez-Vicario took control to complete what was in the end a comfortable win.