British tennis player Tim Henman won the most prestigious title of his career Sunday, as he defeated Andrei Pavel of Romania 6-2, 7-6, 7-6 to win the Paris Masters tournament in France.
After Pavel hit his return into the net on championship point, Henman threw his arms into the air, applauded on his racket and then tossed it into the crowd. The victory allowed Henman to end an injury-slowed season on a high note.
It was the 29-year-old Henman's 11th career title and his first trophy at a Masters Series event. The nine-event Masters Series, which ends in Paris, ranks just under the Grand Slams in prestige.
On the way to the final, Henman defeated seventh-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer of Switzerland and second-seeded American Andy Roddick, who assumes the world's number-one ranking Monday.
Second-seeded Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo fought back from a loss in the first set to win her second title of the season at the Advanta Championship tennis tournament in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
The world number-seven women's player defeated third-seeded Anatasia Myskina of Russia 5-7, 6-love, 6-2 on Sunday. Both women were making their fifth appearance in a final this season. She defeated Mauresmo in the finals of the Kremlin Cup three weeks ago.
Mauresmo was the first Advanta champion since 2000. The championships returned to the WTA schedule in 2003 after a three-year absence. Mauresmo's path to the final was eased by the withdrawals of Americans Serena and Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport, leaving the Frenchwoman the highest-seeded player left in the tournament.