UMAG, Croatia — Top-seeded Fernando Verdasco needed nearly three hours to beat Igor Andreev, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) today in the ATP Croatia Open final.

It's the second ATP title for the Spaniard — adding to his victory in Valencia in 2004 — and came on his on his first trip to Umag.

The fourth-seeded Andreev won four straight games to claim the first set and take a 1-0 lead in the second. He had break point for a 3-1 lead, but Verdasco suddenly rallied, hitting winners from all over the court.

He broke to lead 5-4, and held serve to win the set.

That's when Andreev took a medical timeout for treatment for two blisters on his feet.

Verdasco continued to dominate, breaking for a 3-0 lead in the third set and was ahead 40-love when Andreev rallied.

He broke Verdasco, and again to even the set. That forced the tiebreak before the Spaniard prevailed in 2 hours, 50 minutes, the longest final in the tournament's 19-year history.