AMERICAN Steve Johnson fine-tuned his preparation for the Australian Open by beating Stefano Travaglia in the final of the Bendigo ATP Challenger on Saturday.
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The tournament's fourth seed prevailed in a tight match 7-6, 7-6, giving him a timely confidence boost ahead of his opening round encounter against world number three Roger Federer at Melbourne Park on Monday.
The win capped a marvellous two weeks in Bendigo for the 30-year-old Californian, who reached the quarter-finals of the previous week's Canberra ATP Challenger, which was transferred to Bendigo.
A quality final was highlighted by neither player losing a service game.
Johnson, who came into the event ranked 81st in the world, won the points that mattered most, claiming the first set tie-breaker 7-2 and the second 7-3.
He branded the win as a great way to start the year,
"Any time you enter a tournament, you want to be the last man standing ... I was lucky to play a couple of good tie-breakers today and get a win. I feel good going into the Australian Open," Johnson said.
"I felt I started out both tie-breakers very well and that's key. Once you get a lead and with the way I was serving it was very important.
"I think it would have been important for him too, the way he was serving too. If he had got up early in those tie-breakers, it might have been tough to get back.
"Tennis is a game of a couple of points here and there and I was lucky to get on top today."
In a remarkable display of consistency, Johnson dropped only set for the week, conceding a tie-breaker in his round of 32 match against Greece's Markos Kalovelonis.
The American, who has a highest career singles ranking of 21, is now focusing on his centre court clash against Federer.
Johnson has met the 20-time Grand Slam singles title winner on two previous occasions, with their most recent clash at the ATP Masters 1000 at Indian Wells in 2017, resulting in a 7-6, 7-6 win for the Swiss.
He's hoping it's a case of third time's a charm.
"It's going to be fun, it's just another challenge ahead," he said.
"He's probably the best ever to do it.
"I've played him a couple of times before, so I will try and take that experience going into Monday and go out there with no fear."
Johnson paid full respect to Travaglia - the tournament's third seed - for a tough final, in what was the first meeting between the pair.
"I've never played him and I don't think we've ever practiced together, so it's fun to play someone new and fun to try and figure out a new puzzle," he said.
"I'm very happy with my game today and lucky that I won a few of those lucky points.
"I am happy with my performances this week and felt I got better every match."
Ranked 75th in the world at the start of the week, Travaglia did not concede a set in reaching the final.
In Saturday's doubles final, Nikola Cacic (Serbia) and Denys Molchanov (Ukraine) beat the number two seeds Marecelo Arevalo and Johnny O'Mara (Great Britain) with a 7-6, 6-4.
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