MONACO -- Stanislas Wawrinka won the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time Sunday, rallying to beat Roger Federer 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 in a rare all-Swiss final. The Australian Open champion had lost his previous two Masters finals and looked like losing a third until Federers level dropped suddenly late in the second set, and Wawrinka began troubling the 17-time Grand Slam champion with his aggressive backhand. The fourth-seeded Federer, who accepted a wild card invitation to play in the tournament, was also looking to win it for the first time after losing his three previous finals here to eight-time champion Rafael Nadal from 2006-08. Wawrinka has beaten Federer only twice in 15 matches but both victories have come here. He also beat him in the third round in 2009. "Its exceptional to be able to win my first Masters title here," Wawrinka said. It was the first time that Federer and Wawrinka met in a championship decider. In the last all-Swiss final, Marc Rosset beat Federer in Marseille in 2000. "Stan was tougher at the end, I think he deserved it just a little bit more," Federer said. "Its a huge win for him after winning his first Grand Slam this year, also to win his first Masters. To take the opportunities when theyre there, thats key in a tennis players career." With the third-seeded Wawrinka serving for the match, Federer shouted in frustration as he missed an easy forehand on second serve at 15-15. On the next point, Federers backhand went wide and Wawrinka clinched the victory with a crisp forehand winner that landed on the line. The players, who are good friends, shared a warm hug at the net. "I had a great week here," Federer said. "Congratulations to Stan." It is the seventh title of the 29-year-old Wawrinkas career, and his third this year. He lost his previous Masters finals at Madrid last year and Rome in 2008. Federer broke for a 3-2 lead when Wawrinkas backhand long, and served out the first set when his countryman over-hit another backhand. Wawrinka secured a break to take a 2-0 lead in the second, but Federer broke straight back with a brilliant passing shot down the line and confidently held to love to send the second set into a tiebreaker. But then he seemed to lose his way. One sloppy backhand from Federer allowed Wawrinka to move 2-0 ahead, and the Australian Open champion moved 4-1 up with a volley at the net. Federer saved two set points at 6-3 but Wawrinka levelled the match with a clinical smash after Federer had returned his serve a bit too high. "I dont think I served quite so well early on in the third set. I think he really found his range and started to hit bigger, deeper. He didnt miss that many second-serve returns anymore," Federer said. "He gave me a couple cheap points in the first couple sets which he later on really didnt give me anymore." Federer was seeking the 79th title of his illustrious career, and his 22nd Masters trophy. The 32-year-old Swiss has lost three of his four finals this year, with the other defeats against Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells and to Lleyton Hewitt at Brisbane. "You must see the positive side. Try not to be disappointed or frustrated," Federer said. "What I see is that if Im in that position again, if I keep trying as I did, at a certain point its going to go my way. If you feel good mentally, then things are going to turn out good." The next two Masters events on clay are at Madrid and Rome leading up to the French Open, which starts on May 25. Custom Miami Heat Jerseys . Whenever United loses, its crisis. When other top teams slip up, its the quirky nature of the Premier League. The predictable reaction speaks to the sky-high expectations for a team proven perennial contender and 13 times Premier League champion. James Johnson Jersey . 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The team announced that it exercised the options on 15 players including goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crepeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W.PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Algerias players are being left to decide whether or not they observe the Ramadan fast during Mondays World Cup game against Germany, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic saying its not a divisive issue. Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. Halilhodzic, who has testy relations with sections of the Algerian media and its football association, threatened to leave a news conference Sunday if questions persisted on the topic. He said critics were using the issue to "try and raise hatred of me and my family. This is really disgusting." The national football association released a statement denying a report in Algerias leading football newspaper suggesting that Halilhodzic, a Muslim, had ordered players not to fast. Its a potentially sensitive allegation in the mostly Muslim country. The federation said Halilhodzic had been "very respectful" of the religion in his three years at the helm of the national team. The veteran coach, a French-Bosnian, said fasting was a "private issue and players will do exactly as they wish." "When you ask this question you lack respect and ethics. I would like this to stop. Stop this controversy. Talk about football," he said, in response to repeated questions at the official pre-match news conference. "And stop asking me about RRamadan, otherwise I will get up and leave.dddddddddddd." The match Monday kicks less than an hour before sunset in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. The Algeria lineup has been impressive in its three group games, and had its best attacking display so far in a 4-2 win over South Korea. Halilhodzic started that match with five new players following its opening 2-1 defeat to Belgium. They followed that up with a 1-0 win over Russia to reach the knockout rounds for the first time. "We will do everything we can to try and win this match, but (the Germans) are of a higher quality, more experienced and basically better than us," Halilhodzic said. "We shall prepare for this game as the most important in our career. We will give it our all." Algeria shocked West Germany 2-1 in the group stages of the 1982 World Cup, in what was a colossal upset at the time. But the team didnt make it through to the qualifying rounds after the Germans and Austria played out a mutually advantageous result in their last group match in one of the most infamous World Cup episodes. The build up to Mondays match has focused on whether this is now the opportunity for Algeria to avenge what has become known as the "Disgrace of Gijon." But Halilhodzic and Germany coach Joachim Loew downplayed that Sunday, noting that the vast majority of players were not born when it occurred. "This is history. There are many things that occur in football. I would like this wonderful championship to finish in a different way," Halilhodzic said. ' ' '