Llodra downs doubles partner Benneteau

Unseeded Llodra lost in the final to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last year and did not blow his chance this time around.

France's Michael Llodra beat his compatriot and doubles partner Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Open 13 tournament in Marseille on Sunday.

Unseeded Llodra lost in the final to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga last year and did not blow his chance this time around, blasting a total of 14 aces past the 28-year-old number eight seed to wrap up the match in just over one hour.

"Today I served very, very well at the key moments. Against someone like Bennet(eau) who returns so well, I had to raise my service game," Llodra said after his victory.

Benneteau appeared tired after his gruelling 3 hour semi-final clash against second seed Tsonga on Saturday and the match began to slip from his grasp in the sixth game of the opening set when Llodra broke his serve.

The 29-year-old broke his double partner's serve again in the fifth game of the second set, beating his opponent with an audacious lob.

Benneteau - who gained some consolation later when he teamed up with Llodra to win the doubles title beating Austrian/Swedish duet Julian Knowle and Robert Lindstedt 6-4, 6-3 - was left to rue a missed opportunity to win his first-ever title on the ATP tour.

"Maybe if I had been more alert, more active, I would have placed one or two passing shots a bit better that would have made the difference but this is not the reason for my defeat, he was simply stronger," said Benneteau, who has now lost four finals on the ATP tour.

Benneteau had been due to play world number one Roger Federer in the first round of the Dubai Open on Monday but the Swiss ace has pulled out after being struck down with a lung infection.

The Frenchman will now meet Spain's Tommy Robredo.