But making a daily two-hour commute from his parent's home in Newport Beach, 80 kms south, anyway, Ball decided to just take treatment at the tournament and try his luck. 'It's now back to 100 percent. I've pulled it together mentally this week.

'Both Haas and Querrey are experienced and are playing well. But I like the conditions, the court bounces high, that lets you play aggressive and get to the net.'

Ball struck 10 aces in a match where he broke to lift the first set and recovered after losing a break in the second, finally claiming victory in a tiebreaker.

Ball is the first qualifier to reach the Los Angeles final in the post-1968 Open era history and could rise to around the top 120 if he were to win the title.

That would put him within striking distance of compatriots Peter Luczak (113) and Chris Guccione (112) to become Australia's fourth-best player.