Pouille triumphs as Gasquet suffers Montpellier heartbreak again

Lucas Pouille claimed his fifth ATP Tour title as Richard Gasquet lost the Open Sud de France final for the third time in five years.

Richard Gasquet suffered heartbreak in the Open Sud de France final for the second year in succession, going down 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to Lucas Pouille.

The all-French showdown was Gasquet's sixth appearance in the Montpellier finale in as many years, but he was punished by Pouille for costly errors.

It was a welcome return to form for the 23-year-old after he was eliminated from the first round of the Australian Open for the fifth time in a row.

There was little between the duo in the opening set, but Pouille's rangy groundstrokes in the tie-break proved too difficult for Gasquet to return.

The pivotal moment came in the fifth game of the second, when the world number 17 converted break point after the 31-year-old threatened to recover from 0-40 down.

Pouille saw three match points slip away before a venomous forehand beat Gasquet and clinched his fifth ATP Tour title.