Stepanek stuns Blake in Los Angeles final

Czech tennis player Radek Stepanek toppled second-seeded American James Blake 7-6 (9/7), 5-7, 6-2 on Sunday to capture his second career ATP title in the final of the 525,000-dollar Countrywide Classic. Ranked 101st in the world, Stepanek converted two service breaks in the deciding set to claim the victory over the world number nine. It was the Czech's second win in five career meetings against Blake, who had won the previous three encounters - all on North American hardcourts. Stepanek had attained a career-high world ranking of No. 8 in July 2006 before suffering a back injury that sidelined him for the final third of the year.