Tennis - Stanislas Wawrinka wins Japan Open

Stanislas Wawrinka has triumphed at the Japan Open final with a victory in straight sets 6-2-6-4 over Benoit Paire. The 30-year-old began the match strongly and took the attack to the Frenchman, but both men struggled to hold serve as each were broken in the opening stages of the set. 

However, Wawrinka found his form on serve and managed to maintain the pressure on the 26-year-old to earn two further breaks to clinch the first set 6-2. 

Paire attempted to rally at the start of the second and the Swiss was forced to defend two break points, but he upped the quality of his game to withstand the pressure with one fine backhand down the line.

The second set looked to be heading towards a tie-breaker, only for Wawrinka to display his quality by attacking the Frenchman's serve to clinch the break at the crucial moment to take the set 6-4 and secure his victory. The triumph is Wawrinka's fourth title of the year. 

Culled from Sports Mole