Pablo Carreno Busta said winning the biggest title of his career at the Canadian Masters on Sunday gave him a massive boost in confidence and confidence for the rest of the season.
The unseeded Spaniard defeated Hubert Hurkacz 3-6 6-3 6-3 to win the ATP 1000 event in Montreal, part of the US Open Series leading up to the final Grand Slam of the year.
“Not only in the US Open Series, but also in the rest of the season, it’s very important,” Carreno Busta, who reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2017 and 2020, told reporters.
“I won 1,000 points. I won a trophy, a very important trophy. My game has been very, very high all week. I’m playing really, really well, from the first game against (Matteo) Berrettini to the last one against Hubie .
“I think I just have to keep going like this, believe in myself, be aggressive and for sure I’ll have chances to win games this season and I’m hoping for the next ones too.”
The 31-year-old said his long wait for a first Masters title hadn’t weighed him down, citing fellow countryman David Ferrer, who ranked high in third place in his career but only won one Masters tournament.
“I know it’s not easy to win titles like this,” said Carreno Busta. “Not everyone has a Masters 1000 in their career. For example, Ferrer was world number three and just won one.
“I know it is very difficult to win him. There was no added pressure to have that title. But it’s true that I have it now and I’m going to enjoy it, right?”
The US Open main draw begins on August 29.