Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo capped a “crazy ride” by winning the Auckland Classic on Saturday, beating Taro Daniel 6-2, 7-5 in a final between two tournament outsiders.
World number 82 Tabilo bagged his maiden ATP title, which he says will deliver an injection of confidence heading into the Australian Open after two years of pain and frustration.
The 26-year-old’s only other final appearance came on clay at the Cordoba Open in 2022, before his career path took a downward spiral.
“It honestly feels surreal right now. I’m so happy, very emotional, I never thought we were going to be here in the final,” he said.
“Last year was tough, even two years ago we made the final of Cordoba and from there we were going up and we had a little almost stress fracture on my arm.
“We had to stop that year and work back up. It’s been a lot of injuries… it’s been a crazy ride.”
Canadian-born left-hander Tabilo played with greater power than his Japanese opponent, sending down 10 aces while also pulling off three breaks of serve to none.
Two breaks came in the first set which he dominated, before Tabilo pulled off the lone break in game 12 of a tense second set to seal victory between two players who have never been ranked inside the top 60.
Daniel, 30, was chasing a second ATP title, having last won nearly six years ago at the Istanbul Open.
The world number 74’s path to the final included a semi-final upset of top-seeded American Ben Shelton.
Tabilo had the fortune of a walkover quarter-final win against second-seeded Briton Cameron Norrie, before toppling French sixth seed Arthur Fils in straight sets.
Tabilo is drawn to face Aleksandar Kovacevic in the opening round at the Australian Open while Daniel will also face an American first up, Chris Eubanks.
Navarro Trumps Mertens
Fast-rising American Emma Navarro upset two-time champion Elise Mertens to secure her first WTA title on Saturday with a battling 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win at the Hobart International.
In their first career meeting, the 22-year-old outlasted the Belgian top seed over a gruelling 2 hours 48 minutes to write another chapter in her burgeoning career.
This time last year, Navarro was ranked 149 but has since soared to a career-high 31, having also reached the semi-finals in Auckland this month.
She is 8-1 this season heading into the Australian Open, where she will make her main draw debut against China’s Wang Xiyu as the 27th seed.
“I don’t know if I could put words to the emotions, but it’s been a lot of years in the making,” Navarro said.
“My coach and I have been together for eight years, I think. From where we started to now, it’s really crazy to think about.
“Probably six, seven years ago, I was hoping to be a decent college player, and that was going to be good enough for me. So to be here now… I guess just a testament to the work we’ve both put in.”
After taking the first set in just 35 minutes, second seed Navarro dropped the second as Mertens fought back.
The Belgian, who won back-to-back Hobart titles in 2017 and 2018, looked on track to take the third set and secure the championship when she held a 5-4 lead.
But Navarro won the next two games to swing the momentum back in her favour and closed out the match.
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