TENNIS in DEPTH.

Third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia won his first title in more than two years by beating Michael Llodra of France 7-5, 6-3 in Sunday’s Lyon Grand Prix final.

The 30-year-old Ljubicic’s previous title came at the Ordina Open in June 2007.

Ljubicic, who won the first of his nine ATP titles in Lyon in 2001, served seven aces and broke his French opponent three times on his way to winning in 1 hour, 36 minutes.

Jurgen Melzer defeated top-seeded Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday to win the Bank Austria Tennis Trophy, his second career ATP title.

The 35th-ranked Melzer, seeded seventh, saved five break points to hold serve throughout. He broke Cilic three times in the final.

“I can’t find the right words to describe my emotions,” said Melzer, who became only the second Austrian winner in the 35-year history of the event after Horst Skoff in 1988.

Ukrainian qualifier Andriy Stakhovsky won his second career title Sunday, saving a match point before beating eighth-seeded Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 2-6, 7-6 (8), 7-6 (7) in the St. Petersburg Open.

The 93rd-ranked Stakhovsky won his first title last year in Zagreb, Croatia.

He is the third qualifier to win a tournament this year. The others are Benjamin Becker of Germany at the Ordina Open in June, and Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in July at the Allianz Suisse Open in Gstaad, Switzerland

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