JAMAICAN Dustin Brown won his first ATP Challenger Tour title after beating hometown boy Izak Van Der Merwe in the final of the Soweto Open in South Africa yesterday.

Brown, 25, won 7-6(2), 6-3, first having to overcome a testing opening set against the unseeded South African, before proving too strong in the second set with his trademark big serve and volley.

This victory will strengthen the chances of the 127th-ranked Brown of breaking into the top-100 list as he earned 110 points, along with US$14,400 as champion.

But it also means that the Jamaican, who is without a coach, will have to work much harder to maintain his spot in the elite group as he plans to secure automatic qualification to Wimbledon this summer.

And it was inside the Arthur Ashe Tennis Centre in Johannesburg that Brown demonstrated that he’s definitely one to watch.

Based on current rankings, Brown was installed as favourite and the Jamaican, who sports dreadlocks, had to quickly fight off a partisan crowd of 1,800 spectators and an inspired Van Der Merwe.

In a report after the match Brown, who recorded 11 aces, admitted “feeling a little flat”, but there’s no doubt this was one of, if not his best, performances of his career.