Melbourne: Pablo Carreno Busta beat approaching wet weather to conclude his build-up to the Australian Open with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 defeat of Matthew Ebden in the final of the Kooyong Classic on Friday.
Carreno Busta, the second Spaniard to win the event after two titles from Fernando Verdasco, staged a steady fightback to overhaul the 76th-ranked Ebden, who stands second on the national list behind Nick Kyrgios.
Ebden, who sat out half of 2016 with a knee injury, spent much of last season on the lower-level Challenger series and starts the Australian Open against 16th seed John Isner.
Tenth seed Carreno Busta faces another Australian at Melbourne Park, playing Jason Kubler.
The final at the long-time former home of the Australian Open was played under leaden skies in heavy humidity and rain coming in from the west.
It ended just as light drops began to fall and the trophy presentation ceremony was held with the protagonists sheltered under umbrellas.
“This match was tough, I had to come from a set down,” said Carreno Busta. “But it really helped me for the Open. It’s the perfect preparation for the Grand Slam.”
Juan Martin del Potro overcame a stubborn challenge from David Ferrer to clinch their semi-final 6-4, 6-4 and advance to a title showdown against Roberto Bautista Agut in the Auckland Classic on Friday.
Del Potro, who sealed the Auckland title in 2009, shone in the key moments and fought off six of the seven break points Ferrer forged in a tense clash, with two games in the second set lasting almost 10 minutes apiece.
“I’m exhausted,” Del Potro said. “We played a great match. I think the crowd enjoyed the game. I did too. It’s never easy against David because he is such a fighter and runs a lot, I just took my chances.”
Del Potro will enter the top 10 for the first time since August 2010 on Monday ahead of his Australian Open first- round clash against American teenager Frances Tiafoe.
Defending champion Elise Mertens of Belgium reached the Hobart International final with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 win over British qualifier Heather Watson on Friday.
The second-seeded Mertens recovered from a second-set lapse to edge out Watson, who won the tournament in 2015, in one hour and 42 minutes.
The 22-year-old world No. 36 will play Mihaela Buzarnescu in Saturday’s final after the Romanian sailed past fifth-seeded Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko 6-2, 6-2 in the second semi-final.
Ashleigh Barty overcame a slow start to win her all-Australian semi-final against Daria Gavrilova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and advance to the final of the Sydney International.
The 21-year-old needed one hour, 58 minutes on Friday to see off the challenge of the Russian-born Gavrilova as both players struggled to hold serve throughout the match.
Barty then broke early in the decider and again in the seventh game to ease to victory and set up a final against Angelique Kerber, who defeated Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3.
