Big-serving American Sam Querrey shrugged off a nervous second set to clinch his second ATP title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Australian qualifier Carsten Ball at the LA Open on Sunday.
Heavily favoured to beat a player ranked 205th who had never won on the circuit until this week, the sixth seed broke his opponent twice in the third set before ending the final in one hour, 27 minutes.
Querrey, who had upset top-seeded German Tommy Haas in the semi-finals, powered down his 11th ace of the match to wrap up victory on a sun-baked afternoon at the LA Tennis Center before thrusting his right arm into the air in celebration.
It was a case of third time lucky for the Californian world number 32 who had been beaten in the final of his last two ATP events, in Newport and Indianapolis last month.
"This has been one of my favourite tournaments the last four years and it's so great to win here," a beaming Querrey, 21, said in a courtside interview after ending Ball's fairytale run in Los Angeles.
"I didn't want to lose three finals in a row and I was a little worried after that second set but I came back strong in the third.
"I collected myself and went out in that third set and had a higher first-serve percentage. I didn't want to hit a lot of second serves. That was the key.
"I was favourite to win this match and I was favourite to win my last two finals so there was a little pressure," he added, referring to his two previous finals against world number 181 Andy Ram and 95th-ranked Robby Ginepri.
"I've also got to congratulate Carsten. He had an unbelievable week and I think we are going to see a lot more of him. He came out of the qualifying, which you don't see too often, and made it all the way to the finals."
Left-hander Ball, a resident of nearby Newport Beach, had to come through three matches of qualifying to book his place in the main draw and did not drop a set until Sunday's final.
In the opening set, breaks were traded in the fifth and sixth games before Querrey secured a key break in the ninth, ending a protracted rally with a backhand winner with Ball stranded at the net.
Querrey appeared to tighten up while serving for the set in the 10th, trailing 0-30 and later squandering two advantage points before clinching the set when a Ball backhand sailed wide.
The second set went with serve until the eighth game when Querrey, looking increasingly vulnerable, was broken after Ball hit a rasping backhand service return winner down the line.
Bidding to become the first Australian champion in Los Angeles since Rod Laver in 1970, Ball comfortably held in the ninth to level the match at one-set all.
Querrey, however, regained control in the third set, breaking his opponent in the second game after Ball dumped a forehand into the net.
Ball was again broken in the sixth after making an unforced error on his backhand and Querrey held serve to claim a second title on the circuit, following his triumph in Las Vegas last year.
