WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina, Aug 27 Reuters - Pablo Carreno Busta recorded his first ATP title triumph by beating fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the final of the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina.
Carreno Busta, 25, won 6-7 (8-6) 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 in a match that lasted more than two hours 30 minutes.
In a confidence-boosting performance heading into the US Open, the world No.47 clinched victory in style with an ace.
The 16th seed had previously lost two finals this year and could have been excused for dropping his head after losing the first set in a tiebreak when second seed Bautista Agut sent a backhand winner down the line.
There was not a single break point in the first set but both players broke in the second before Carreno Busta levelled the match by dominating the tiebreak, helped by two double faults by his opponent.
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Carreno Busta needed only one break point in the final set to set up the win.
A reward for both finalists was a ride in the same private jet to New York on Saturday night.
After losing to a countryman on Saturday, Bautista Agut faces another Spaniard in the first round at Flushing Meadows in the form of Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
