Alex de Minaur claimed his second ATP title with a 6-3 7-6 (7-2) win over American Taylor Fritz at the Atlanta Open on Sunday.
De Minaur went the entire tournament without facing a break point and the Australian fittingly clinched victory with a deft serve-and-volley backhand winner.
It is the second title for third seed De Minaur, who won the Sydney International in January, before becoming frustrated by a groin injury.
He lost in the second round at both the French Open and Wimbledon, the latter in a tough five-setter against American Steve Johnson.
De Minaur arrived in Atlanta ranked 34th in the world and as a result of his tournament-victory jumps up by nine places in the ATP rankings.
The 20-year-old also left Atlanta with the honour of becoming the youngest winner in the tournament history and in total, dropped just seven first-serve points throughout the week-long competition (116/123).
"This one is really special to me. I felt like I really needed this," the 20-year-old said.
"To start the year with a bang and then be slowed down by injuries… you expect your level to be right there once you come back, but you have to slowly grind your way back.
"I've been playing great tennis and felt like if I could keep it all together, the good results will come. This is a week that will really help me out."
"I don't think I could start the American hard-court season any better than this. I'm happy with where I am and enjoying every day. I can't wait to get back on court and keep improving."
Meanwhile Nikoloz Basilashvili beat Andrey Rublev to win the Hamburg European Open for the second straight year.
The fourth-seeded Georgian won 7-5 4-6 6-3 and served out the final game to love. Basilashvili is the first player since Roger Federer in 2005 to claim back-to-back Hamburg crowns.
"It looks like I am playing my best tennis here. Just to see my name next to [Roger] means a lot to me," said Basilashvili, who is ranked 16th in the world.
"I played my best tennis here and I will come back next year, for sure."
The Georgian won 81 per cent of his first-serve points and broke Rublev four times to lift his second straight trophy at the ATP 500 event.
In his semi-final against Alexander Zverev, the 27-year-old managed to save two match points, trialling 3-5 in the deciding set, before claiming a place in the final after three hours and eight minutes.