Andy Roddick captured the biggest title of his career with a 6-1 6-3 win over Argentine David Nalbandian in the rain-interrupted final of the Montreal Masters on Sunday.

The sixth seeded American cruised to his fourth tournament victory of the season and first Masters crown with a fair amount of assistance from his unseeded opponent, who committed 27 unforced errors.

"It's my biggest title so far and hopefully it will be a good stepping stone to the Open", said Roddick, who remained fifth in the ATP Champions Race but moved to within eight points of third-placed Andre Agassi.

"I definitely want to go into tournaments and try to get the win now."

Nalbandian got a break point in the opening game of the first set but Roddick's trademark cannon serve saved it.

The 20-year-old American then broke Nalbandian twice.

In the second set, the players swapped breaks on unforced errors, but Roddick broke the 21 year-old Argentine twice more to win the $2.45 million tournament a year after losing in the final to Guillermo Canas.

"He didn't have to do many things today. I couldn't play my game," Nalbandian said.

The match started an hour-and-a-half late because of rain, which also forced the players back in the locker room for almost an hour in the second set when Roddick was leading 4-2.

"I was close to winning and was kind of jittery when I went inot the locker room and didn't really feel like sitting down," Roddick said.

FLYING COACH

Roddick has now won 24 of his last 26 matches under new coach Brad Gilbert, who promised to go sky-diving with his pupil if he won in Montreal.

"He's got to jump out of an airplane with me now yet he's scared to look off the second floor balcony, so it should be fun. He might mess his pants or something," said Roddick, a keen skydiver with four jumps to his credit.

Reaching the final meant Nalbandian, Wimbledon runner-up last year, moved up 14 places to 10th position in the ATP Champions Race.

Both finalists will meet qualifiers in the first round of the Cincinnati event starting on Monday, with Nalbandian facing a possible second-round match against new world number two Roger Federer.

Wimbledon champion Federer was beaten in the Montreal semi-finals by Roddick on Saturday.

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