American Sam Querrey came third-time lucky after losing finals in his last two events, stopping the rot with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 defeat of Aussie newcomer Carsten Ball to win the Los Angeles Open on Sunday.

Querrey, the breakout artist of the post-Wimbledon summer season, had lost back-to-back finals last month in Newport (to Rajeev Ram) and a week ago in Indianapolis to Robby Ginepri.

But the 22-year-old from nearby Thousand Oaks would not be denied as he took on the 205th-ranked Ball, Los Angeles-born son of 1974 Australian Open doubles finalist Syd Ball.

"It feels great," Querrey said. "After losing two finals there was no way I wanted to lose a third.

"I was worried after the second set, he was putting pressure on me and I was mad at myself. I started thinking about the other finals.

"But I sat down at the changeover and collected myself. I lifted my first-serve percentage in the third set that was the key. I was able to keep it all together."

The younger Ball, a junior rival in southern California against Querrey, was playing this week in the first ATP-level event of his career and couldn't have asked for a more positive scenario.

"I was just thinking about winning the qualie matches, one at a time," said Ball who has played Davis Cup Down Under. "I had some luck this week, it was great to play a fellow Southern California buddy also."

Querrey added the LA title to his only other career honour, the Las Vegas crown in 2008.

"This was not a great match on either side," said Querrey. "Neither of us lit the place up. There is a lot of emotion involved, finals mean a lot."

Querrey, ranked 32nd, stands 13-2 over the past month, and was the first American to reach at least three ATP finals in a row since Andy Roddick advanced to four straight from 7 June to 1 August, 2004.

Ball, 22, played as the fifth qualifier to reach an ATP final this season. He is the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 to reach the LA final.

Querrey was the 16th different American in the post-1968 Open era to win the LA crown.