Alejandro Tabilo of Chile celebrates his singles semi-final win against Taro Daniel of Japan at the ASB Classic tennis tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. Saturday January 13, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga / Photosport) Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Alejandro Tabilo will head into the Australian Open on a high after winning his first ATP Tour title with a 6-2 7-5 victory over Japan's Taro Daniel in the Auckland ASB Classic final.
The 26-year-old Chilean, who is ranked 82 in the world but is expected to break into the top 50 on the back of his triumph, raced through the opening set after being locked at 2-2.
He endured a sterner test in the second but came through in the end to become the first Chilean man to claim a hardcourt tour-level title since Fernando Gonzalez in Beijing in 2007.
Up next for Tabilo is a first round match against American Aleksandar Kovacevic at the Australian Open on Monday. The year's first Grand Slam begins tomorrow.
Having advanced all the way from qualifying in Auckland more than a week ago, the big serving left-hander said it was an "unbelievable" result.
"It's been an unforgettable week," Tabilo told broadcaster SkySport.
"I'm just really happy we were able to finish.
"When I got here I never thought I'd be standing here, so it's going to be unbelieveable and hopefully I can come back next year and play some great tennis again."
Tabilo dominated on the forehand wing and served 11 aces for the match in an all-court masterclass which featured serve and volley, crafty net play and topspin lobs.
Runner-up Daniel also celebrated a breakthrough week after he upset top seeded American Ben Shelton in the semi-finals.
The tournament lost several big name players early in the draw as Auckland-raised British star Cam Norrie withdrew before his quarter-final with pain in his left wrist.
Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime was bundled out in the round of 16 and entertaining Frenchman Gael Monfils lost an epic encounter in his first Auckland match.
And the Dutch-Croation duo of Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic survived a Match Tie-break to claim the men's doubles title. Koolhof and Mektic defeated top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-7 to earn the trophy.
- Reuters/RNZ