Del Potro beats Tomic for Apia International ATP Title

SYDNEY, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- No. 1-seed Juan Martin del Potro rolled to the Apia International Sydney title Saturday, beating Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-1 in the final.

Del Potro needed just 53 minutes to dispatch Tomic in the ATP's final tune-up before the Australian Open begins Monday. It was del Potro's 18th title overall and fifth in 11 months.

Del Potro had eight aces, two more than the number of points lost over his eight games serving. He also won half of the points off Tomic's serve and finished off four of his six break chances.

Tomic won his first ATP title last year at the Apia International. He will have a second Top 5 player across for him in his next match as he starts the Australian Open against world No. 1 Raphael Nadal.

Del Porto improved to 18-7 in championship matches, having won nine of the last 11 times he reached a final. The two losses came last year at Indian Wells, Calif., to Nadal and at the Shanghai Masters against No. 2-ranked Novak Djokovic, both in three sets.

He collected $82,040 along with the first-place trophy. Del Potro has won more than $15.5 million in his career. Tomic's second-place check of $43,210 pulls his career winnings total close to $2 million.