Big-hitting Australian Andrew Ilie recovered from a shaky start to defeat Czech Michal Tabara and claim his first XL Capital Bermuda Open title yesterday.

A packed house on sun-drenched centre court at Coral Beach saw in-form Ilie battle back from a set down to eventually prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 and take the crystal trophy along with a $14,000 winner's cheque.

The stocky Ilie, who has a reputation as one of the cleanest hitters on the ATP Tour, has thrilled the crowds all week with groundstrokes of awesome power.

Yesterday, however, the number one seed was slow out of the blocks -- something he later put down to fatigue -- and the unseeded Tabara took full advantage to get his nose in front.

But from the start of the second set, Ilie's rockets started to catch the lines instead of bouncing just out and Tabara struggled increasingly.

After sealing the championship on his third match point, Ilie ripped his shirt in half in celebration to the delight of the fans.

Afterwards Ilie said he had not played as well as he could and added his semi-final battle on Saturday, when he beat fellow Aussie Jason Stoltenberg 1-6, 7-5, 6-2, followed by a doubles match, had left him feeling drained.

"It was difficult because I played singles and doubles on Saturday and I really wore myself out,'' said Ilie. "So it was tough to play the final in really hot and heavy conditions, which meant I had to hit harder.'' The victory gave Ilie his second title in two weeks after his triumph in Atlanta two weeks ago. "This is probably the best hot streak of my life,'' said Ilie. "My aim is to finish the year in the top 20 -- but I guess I'd settle for 25.

"Now I'm looking forward to the French Open. I usually do well there. I'm not taking anything for granted but I believe I can maybe go further than the third round.'' Ilie said if there was a secret to his ability to hit hard, it was hours of practice on his own.

"I used to hit the ball against the wall all the time when I was a kid growing up in Romania, so I've got a fairly strong arm.

"It's a natural ability which I've worked on to develop. When I was in the juniors I used to miss a lot, but as I've gone up the ranks I've just got better.'' Tabara played solidly from the start, broke Ilie's serve in the third game and went two breaks and 4-1 up in the fifth game after the Australian double-faulted on break point.

Ilie broke back and a blazing backhand in the seventh game was a warning to the Czech that his opponent was finding his range with his rockets. Tabara hung on to serve out the set, finishing it off with two superb points, first with a lunging volley after the scampering Ilie reached his slightly overhit drop shot and then a scorching forehand down the line.

The pendulum swung the other way in the second set, as the fiery Aussie finally seemed to get himself pumped up to reach the heights he had scaled in earlier rounds.

A few booming winners accompanied by shouts of "C'mon!'' with an Aussie twang and fist pumps sent the message that Ilie had woken up.

A single service break in the fourth game was enough for Ilie to win the set and level the match and Tabara opened the final set nervously with a double fault.

The Aussie reacted like a predator who had smelled blood and drew gasps from the crowd with a howitzer of a backhand winner, saluting it with a double "C'mon!'' and went on to win the break of serve.

But the Czech would have broken back in the next game had he not missed a sitter volley at 15-40. Ilie capitalised ruthlessly, winning the next four points to hold.

Tabara wore the wry smile of a man beaten by an opponent on top of his game when Ilie produced a staggering backhand cross-court shot from a ball which seemed to have passed behind him in the sixth game.

Ilie got an attack of match-point jitters, when serving at 5-2, 40-15. He first scooped a half-volley long and then double-faulted. But finally he won through and turned to salute his friend and countryman Pat Rafter, watching from the seats above.

Doubles ace Paes puts on a show From Page 27 Leander Paes produced a dazzling display of the skills which made him the world's top-ranked doubles player last year, as he and partner Jan Siemerink won the doubles final in convincing fashion.

The Indian, who reached doubles finals in all four Grand Slam events in 1999, showed amazing reactions at the net as South Africans Brent Haygarth and Jeff Coetzee were beaten 6-3, 6-2.

Paes and his big-serving Dutch partner never gave their opponents a glimmer of hope and afterwards Haygarth quipped to the crowd over the microphone: "I don't know how much we owe these guys for the lesson.'' Paes described the tournament as the best Challenger event he had played in and when asked if he would be back next year, he replied: "Most definitely.'' Paes added: "This is my first time in Bermuda and it's probably one of the prettiest places I've seen. The people here are so friendly and hospitable, they really make you feel at home. The facilities and the courts are great and everything's well organised and if you put all that together, you've got a great tournament.'' Paes added that he would be teaming up with Siemerink again next week in Orlando.

OPEN RESULTS Singles Semi-finals Andrew Ilie (1), Australia d Jason Stoltenberg (3), Australia, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 Michal Tabara, Czech Republic d Laurence Tieleman, Italy, 6-4, 6-1 Final Andrew Ilie (1), Australia d Michal Tabara, Czech Republic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 Doubles Semi-final Jeff Coetzee and Brent Haygarth, South Africa, d James Greenhalgh, New Zealand and Andrew Ilie, Australia, 6-3, 6-4 Final Leander Paes, India and Jan Siemerink, Netherlands d Jeff Coetzee and Brent Haygarth, South Africa 6-3, 6-2 Photos by Tony Cordeiro Rocket man: Newly crowned Bermuda Open champion Andrew Ilie smacks a typical high-octane forehand during his three-set victory over Michal Tabara in yesterday's final at Coral Beach.