Verdasco wins Kooyong Classic

Melbourne - Spain's Fernando Verdasco issued a warning to his rivals ahead of the Australian Open with a 7-5 6-3 win over Jo Wilfried Tsonga in the Kooyong Classic final on Saturday.

World number nine Verdasco broke the 10th-ranked Frenchman late to clinch a hard-fought first set, then broke him twice more to race to a 4-0 lead in the second under bright sunshine at Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Tsonga broke back to rally to 5-3, but struggled with unforced errors and was unable to reel in the Spaniard, whose powerful baseline game was on song throughout the tournament.

Earlier on Saturday, Australian teenager Bernard Tomic upset Serbian world number three Novak Djokovic 6-4 3-6 7-5 in an exhibition match.