Los Angeles, Aug 2 (DPA) Charmed qualifier Carsten Ball continued the tennis week of his life with a 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) victory over a fellow neophyte to reach the final of the Los Angeles Open.
Ball, 22, whose only previous experience at the top level of the game was one Davis Cup tie for Australia last autumn, defeated 60th-ranked Argentine Leonardo Mayer in 90 minutes to take his bid for glory into Sunday’s title match-up.

The California-born number 205 will face off against the winner from a match between second-seeded two-time champion Tommy Haas of Germany and American Sam Querrey.

Haas is off of a Wimbledon semi-final against Roger Federer while Querrey will be playing his third semi-final in as many post-Wimbledon tournaments.

“Just to get that far and play either of those guys is a plus,” said Ball, son of 1974 Australian Open doubles finalist Syd Ball. “Win or lose, playing in a final is what we all work for.”

“I’ll be pleased to go out there. I’m not thinking about the ranking points or the money,” said the player, who admitted he almost pulled out of the qualifying round after re-tweaking his back.

But making a daily two-hour commute from his parent’s home in Newport Beach, 80 kms south, anyway, Ball decided to just take treatment at the tournament and try his luck. “It’s now back to 100 percent. I’ve pulled it together mentally this week.

“Both Haas and Querrey are experienced and are playing well. But I like the conditions, the court bounces high, that lets you play aggressive and get to the net.”

Ball struck 10 aces in a match where he broke to lift the first set and recovered after losing a break in the second, finally claiming victory in a tiebreaker.

Ball is the first qualifier to reach the Los Angeles final in the post-1968 Open era history and could rise to around the top 120 if he were to win the title.

That would put him within striking distance of compatriots Peter Luczak (113) and Chris Guccione (112) to become Australia’s fourth-best player.