James Blake warmed up for next week's US Open in perfect fashion by beating fellow American Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-4 on Saturday to win the ATP event in New Haven.
The third seed and local favourite won a topsy-turvy first set before easing through the second to capture his second title of the year and repeat his New Haven triumph of 2005.
"That's a great way to go into the U.S. Open," Blake told reporters.
"I am going into every match feeling that I can win. To win another title is great, so hopefully I can carry it over into the U.S. Open."
World No. 50 Fish, in his first final for 16 months, twice recovered from a break down in the first set but Blake broke again in the 11th game and served out to move ahead.
Blake then broke twice to lead 4-1 and though Fish got one of the breaks back, the third seed held on to win his 10th career title and claim his 17th victory in 20 matches on hard courts this summer.
Fish said his efforts this week had been a huge boost, having won back-to-back matches for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in Memphis in February.
"It was a great tournament for me, confidence-wise," he said.
"Instead of going second round, second round, second round I'd rather go first round, first round first round, final.
"It lets you know that you can do it, you can play well and you can beat top players and you can go deep in big tournaments.
"I was match point down in my first round, so a long way from the final."
Blake, too, stared defeat in the face on his way to the final, saving three match points against Argentine Agustin Calleri and admitted he had ridden his luck.
"It just shows you how much difference confidence can make," Blake said.
"When I'm not confident, I kind of feel like they're going to hit a first serve in that situation, but when you're confident it just seems like things happen for you.
"It gives you confidence to know that you can win a match in another way, that you're not just a good front-runner."
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