Baker falls in Open de Nice final to Almagro

NICE, France (AP)—Nicolas Almagro beat American qualifier Brian Baker 6-3, 6-2 to win the Open de Nice on Saturday and clinch his 12th career title.

The defending champion broke the 216th-ranked Baker's serve in the fourth and eighth games of the second set. He also had 11 aces.

It was a successful tournament for the 27-year-old Baker, who was sidelined for nearly six years after five surgeries - three on his hip, one on his elbow and one sports hernia - before returning to competitive tennis last July in the lower tiers.

Almagro said, ``I think if he plays as he did this week, then he will win many, many tournaments.''

On Friday, Baker outlasted Nikolay Davydenko 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2.