Mauresmo helps Llodra to pre-Wimbledon title

EASTBOURNE (AFP) - Sage advice from French women's great Amelie Mauresmo whipped compatriot Michael Llodra into top pre-Wimbledon shape as the eighth seed defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 6-2 to win the Eastbourne International on Saturday.

Success in 76 minutes marked the second grass trophy for the number 46, who brought retired 2006 Wimbledon champion Mauresmo into his coaching brain trust only last week at Queen's club.

"This is a special win for me," said Llodra after winning a final interrupted for 30 minutes in the second set by rain and concluded in more showers.

"Last week I tried a new combination with Amelie. She helped me a lot. I hope it will be good next week (Wimbledon) also."

Llodra won the opening set against his fifth-seded Spanish opponent with a break in the last game and broke twice more in the second set on the way to the fourth trophy of his career.

Garcia-Lopez saved three match points in the rain, but put a forehand wrong to give Llodra a fourth winning chance. The Frenchman took it from the Spaniard's concluding unforced error.

Llodra fired 11 aces in the victory, his second title of the season after winning Marseille in February.

He improved to 16-11 in 2010 and heads to Wimbledon with confidence after somehow never getting past the second round at the major.

"It was a great win today, one more title. I want to enjoy this victory, which will help a lot next week - but that is next week."

Llodra added: "It's never easy with rain interruptions. Of course, you can see your coach and get a different tactic.

"That worked well for me with Amelie on my team. I had to stay focussed and play well until the end. It worked today and it's so nice."

In the women's final, qualifier Ekaterina Makarova claimed the first honour of her career beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 to become the first unseeded champion in eight years at a WTA event.

The number 100-ranked Russian made the breakthrough without the loss of a set in seven matches from start to finish at Devonshire Park.

"I cannot understand yet that I won," said an emotional Makarova, 22, who finally came good in her third career final. "I'm a bit in shock, especially that I didn't lose a set.

"This is just unbelievable to me, I cannot believe that I did it.

"There was no secret to the success, I just have a great coach. I also like the grass and I enjoyed the tennis here."

Makarova swept to victory in 1hr 51min with a winner on the first of two match points against an opponent not fully fit with both knees taped and favouring her left.

"It's my problem, I'll keep it to myself," said Azarenka. "I still have to treat it, and I don't want to put it out there. It's not a big thing."

Makarova had not won back-to-back main draw matches this year on the WTA prior to this week and will return to the Top 70 with the title.

"Victoria is an unbelievable player, but maybe I was a bit lucky today," said Makarova, the first unseeded finalist here since American Chandra Rubin in 2002.