WASHINGTON (AFP) - Tim Henman would have waited as long as necessary to earn his first ATP title in more than a year.
Henman weathered a lengthy rain delay and clobber Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-4 Sunday at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. It was Henman's first championship since he had shoulder surgery in November.
"When you look at the context of the last 12 months, it's been a difficult time for me with my injury," said Henman, who won $74,250. "Now I feel like I've put that behind me. I knew that this was going to be a good opportunity to really start building with respect to my game."
Henman, who upset second seed Andy Roddick in the semi-finals, last raised a singles trophy in January 2002 in Adelaide, Australia.
He was ranked no. 4 in the world before the surgery.
In his first tour final since last year at Queen's, 38th-ranked Henman also had to weathered a pair of rain delays besides the hard-hitting style of his South American foe.
Henman, who lost six of his first eight matches of the year after right shoulder surgery last November, won his 10th career title in his first hardcourt final since last year at Indian Wells.
"I lost a couple of finals in the United States, so I was keen to get a win on American soil and my 10th title, so it's a special day for me," Henman said.
Gonzalez, coming off a semi-final upset of world number one Andre Agassi that he called the greatest win of his career, will have a chance to avenge the loss rather quickly.
"We play in the first round next week at Montreal, so he will have a chance at revenge," Henman said.
French Open quarter-finalist Gonzalez, who turned 23 last Tuesday, reached his first ATP hardcourt final and first final of the year after winning titles on clay in 2000 at Orlando and last year at Vina del Mar and Palermo.
Henman scored five consecutive points to break Gonzalez in the opening game of the second set, aided by three errant backhands from the South American.
The British no. 1, 28, netted a forehand on the first. Gonzalez smacked a backhand winner down the line to deny Henman on the second and another backhand winner to rescue the third. Gonzalez then hit two service winners to pull within 5-4.
Serving for the match, Henman landed a forehand drop volley to reach his fourth championship point, then finally converted with a serve and volley winner to take the title just moments before showers returned.
Threatening black skies and a thunderclap greeted the players as they took the court. Henman held serve in the opening game and Gonzalez was serving after the first deuce when rain halted the match after just six minutes.
When play resumed after a delay of 86 minutes, Henman pushed Gonzalez to a ninth deuce in the game and capitalized on his fifth break-point chance of the game, finally seizing a 2-0 lead when Gonzalez send consecutive forehands long.
"It can be frustrating to have those type of interruptions, but kind of getting you're nose in front is always better than when you're behind," Henman said.
Henman broke again for a 4-0 edge, only to hand the break back in the next game, netting a forehand to give Gonzalez his first game.
Rain returned briefly as Henman began serving for the set. Gonzalez staved off Henman's first two set points, the last with a backhand to the corner.
Henman then sent a forehand wide to give up a break chance but saved it with a second-serve ace. A backhand volley winner gave Henman a third set point and this time he smacked a forehand winner to claim the opening set in 44 minutes.
He broke serve in the opening game of the second set when Gonzalez hit consecutive forehands long and into the net.
"I was a little disappointed because I don't like to lose," Gonzalez said. "It was a great week, I played some really great matches. Yesterday was the greatest experience of my life. Today, of course, I want to win, but it happens."
In the next game, Gonzalez hit a short lob that Henman easily put away. Gonzalez threw his racket across the baseline.
-- August 3, 2003