TENNIS ROUNDUP : Stich Mows Down Stark on Grass, 6-4, 7-5

It will be difficult for Michael Stich to improve on last year’s grass-court campaign, but he’s trying.

Top-seeded Stich, of Germany, tuned up for defense of his Wimbledon title with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Jonathan Stark in the final of the Continental Grass Court Championship at Rosmalen, Netherlands on Sunday.

“I think I’m playing the best grass-court tennis, maybe even better than last year,” he said. “I’m looking forward to going to Wimbledon (which starts June 22).”

Stich, who took fourth place from Boris Becker in the world rankings with the victory, passed the $2-million mark in earnings with the $33,800 first prize.

It was Stark’s first ATP final since the 21-year-old turned pro last fall.

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Top-seeded Thomas Muster of Austria beat unseeded Renzo Furlan of Italy, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, and won the City of Florence ATP tournament in Italy for the second consecutive year.

Muster needed nearly three hours to secure the 12th victory of his career and earn $32,400.

The left-hander lost his serve in the first game of the third set before winning the final six games.

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Wayne Ferreira of South Africa won his first tournament title, defeating Shuzo Matsuoka of Japan, 6-3, 6-4, in the Queen’s Club grass-court final at London.

The victory raised the possibility Ferreira could be included when Wimbledon seedings are announced today.

“If I am or not it doesn’t matter,” he said. “There are a lot of good guys who aren’t seeded.”

Ferreira turned the match his way by breaking Matsuoka in the fourth game of the first set and in the seventh game of the second.

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Brenda Schultz of the Netherlands needed only 53 minutes to beat Jenny Byrne of Australia, 6-2, 6-2, and win a women’s grass-court tournament at Birmingham, England.

“From the first day, I thought I was going to win this tournament,” Schultz said. “Sometimes you feel confident like that.”

Unseeded Byrne beat three seeded players to reach the final.