Teen Tomic stuns Fish to take Kooyong title

Australian Bernard Tomic won his first senior title at the Kooyong Classic on Saturday stunning world number eight Mardy Fish 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 at the Australian Open tune-up.

The 19-year-old sensation, who is ranked 37 in the world, again showed his promise, following a run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals last summer and a semi-final loss in Brisbane against Andy Murray last week.

"I've never lifted a trophy before at this level," said Tomic. "I'm proud to have my name on a trophy like this.

"It's a good feeling and one that I'll always treasure. Hopefully this will help me do well at the Australian Open," said the player, who faces experienced Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the first round.

The win made him the youngest player to triumph at Kooyong and handed him a timely boost ahead of the Open, which starts on Monday.

"I want to do as well as I can at the Open. There's a lot of pressure. but maybe once - perhaps not this year - I can win that title," he added.

Tomic's victory came in an hour and three-quarters during which he showed off his big game at the expense of Fish, who is 11 years older than the teenager.

"I enjoyed this week, Bernard is playing great tennis," said the defeated American.

"This is the perfect preparation for the Australian Open."

Tomic, who lost his first two matches against Fish but beat him last autumn in Shanghai, claimed the first set with a storming start after taking a 4-0 lead.

But Fish came back, his experience paying off in the second set to break the Tomic serve.

Tomic was unfazed and took victory in the third, breaking in the last game to win on the first of two match points.

Earlier Austria's Jurgen Melzer recorded his second upset of a higher ranked opponent in a week to claim third-place honours with a 6-3, 6-7 (10/12), 6-2 win over Gael Monfils.

Fresh from beating French world number six Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Wednesday, Melzer dispatched Frenchman Monfils, who is ranked 15.

Melzer, placed 33 in the rankings, said he was pleased to have beaten the flamboyant Monfils for the first time in his career.

"It's always tough to play him, he gets so many balls back," said the Austrian. "You think the rally is over but the ball keeps coming back.

"It was great to beat him for the first time, I'm very happy about it."

Monfils faces Australian Marinko Matosevic in the first round, which starts on Monday in Melbourne.

The Frenchman lived up to his reputation for improvised shot-making on Saturday, throwing his racquet at a ball in a desperate - but successful - effort to make a return. The shot was ruled good to Melzer's surprise.

"To make a shot like that just shows his talent," said the bemused veteran. Melzer won the first set but was out-hit in the dramatic second as Monfils levelled at a set each on a fifth set point, clawing back three Melzer match points before finally losing.