Tomic wins Kooyong Classic to boost Aussie hopes

The 19-year-old's impressive performance in the eight-man invitational warm-up tournament two days before the Australian Open is sure to whip local fans into a frenzy over the prospect of a genuine men's contender at Melbourne Park.
The first teenager to win at Kooyong Lawn Tennis club, Tomic upset French world number 15 Gael Monfils and seventh-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych on the way to the final.
Tomic, ranked number 37 in the world, now turns his attention to a tricky first round encounter at Melbourne Park on Monday against 22nd seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain, a former Australian Open semi-finalist.
"There's only three or four guys on tour who can play all day and he's one of them," Tomic told reporters.
"I'll need to come out, be aggressive and be fast like the first few matches I was playing at Kooyong and if I play like that, and to his backhand corner deep, I think he can't really hurt me."