Chilean qualifier Alejandro Tabilo beat Japan’s Taro Daniel 6-2 7-5 in 1 hour and 36 minutes to clinch his first ATP Tour level title at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Tabilo broke Daniel in the sixth and eighth games of the first set and in the 12thgame of the second set.
Tabilo dropped just one set in his six Auckland wins. He came through two qualifying rounds and three rounds of the main draw. He received a walkover when Cameron Norrie withdrew due to a wrist injury. The26-year-old Chilean qualifier beat Next Gen Finals Arthur Fils in the semifinals to reach his second ATP Tour final following Cordoba 2022.
Tabilo has become the first Chilean player to win a hard-court title on the ATP Tour since Fernando Gonzales in Beijing in 2007 and the third active Chilean singles champion alongside Christian Garin and Nicolas Jarry.
Daniel beat Ben Shelton in the semifinals to reach the second final of his career after Istanbul in 2018.
Tabilo will face US qualifier Daniel will take on Chris Eubanks in the first round at the Australian Open.
“Last year was tough. Even two years ago, we made the final in Cordoba. From there we were going up and then I had a little stress fracture on my arm and we had to stop that year. We tried to work back up, but it’s been a lot of injuries last year also. Now with the whole team, with the recovery, with the food. My family also supporting me, my girlfriend also in Chile right now has been helping me so much mentally, and my friends also. It’s been a crazy ride”, said Tabilo.
