Enqvist tops Agassi for BMW title

Enqvist, also on a comeback after a series of injuries, won 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 in a match that easily could have gone Agassi's way.

"I've never played so well on clay before," Enqvist said.

Agassi, tuning his game for this month's French Open, was seeking his first tournament victory on European clay in 10 years and his third title of the year.

"We both played very well during the whole match," Agassi said. "I was improving all the time during the week and it was a perfect preparation for the French Open. ...

"It's disappointing not to win but all in all, it was a good week. I am not too far from my best. I am very pleased to have been here this week."

Agassi, the No. 8 seed in the $500,000 tournament, will move one place to No. 19 in the rankings. Enqvist slipped one place to No. 18. The No. 7 seed from Sweden earned $70,000 for this title.

Once the No. 1 in the world, Agassi had dropped as low as No. 141 during a disastrous season last year.

"Both of us played extremely well. It's always fun to play him," said Enqvist, who leads Agassi 3-2 for his career. "Perhaps I had more luck in the second set."

Enqvist has won 13 of his 15 career finals and clinched his second title of the year, previously winning in Marseille, France.

Agassi saved two break points in the 11th game of the second set, leading to a tiebreaker. A forehand winner gave Enqvist the set, although Agassi had been two points from the title.

A powerful hitter from the baseline, Enqvist gained a key break with four tremendous returns for a 5-3 lead in the final set and served out the match.

Following a good serve, Enqvist hit a crisp backhand volley that gave Agassi no chance and won in 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Agassi will return home to Las Vegas and has not decided whether he will play the Italian Open, which starts a week from Monday.

"If I go, it'll be good me, but if I don't it won't be too bad," he said. "I hope to be seeded for the French Open."

The French Open, the highlight of the European clay-court season, is the only Grand Slam tournament Agassi has not won.

GERMAN OPEN: At Hamburg, Germany, Michael Chang, Tim Henman and Sergi Bruguera advanced to the second round of the German Open with victories today. Chang ousted David Prinosil of Germany 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in a match between two wild cards in the $2.45 million clay-court tournament. Henman ousted qualifier Jan Appel of Sweden 6-3, 6-2. Bruguera, a two-time French Open champion defeated fellow Spaniard Jacobo Diaz 6-2, 6-1. Chang, who was sidelined in March by a knee injury and missed tournaments in Indian Wells, Calif., and Key Biscayne, Fla., lost his concentration in the second set, giving up the last four games. But he bounced back immediately in the third, breaking Prinosil's serve and jumping to a 4-1 lead. Prinosil saved two match points with service winners but Chang converted the third with a forehand winner to end the match after one hour and 44 minutes.

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