Fernando Gonzalez's outstanding breakthrough year on the ATP tour on Sunday yielded the young Chilean his second title.

He defeated Argentinian Jose Acasuso to win the Campionati Internazionali Di Sicilia at Palermo.

After making a disappointing start in the all-South American battle, Gonzalez upped a gear and finished a 5-7 6-3 6-1 winner.

The 22-year-old from Santiago played most of last season on the Challenger Tour, but has emerged as a real danger at the highest level this season.

He began the year by reaching the third round at the Australian Open in Melbourne and won his maiden ATP title at the Vina del Mar event in his home country in February.

Following those early-season successes, Gonzalez beat Pete Sampras to reach round four of the Miami Masters Series event.

He rolled over Tim Henman en route to the semi-finals at the Cincinnati Masters Series event, before advancing to the US Open quarter-finals in September.

Today's victory takes his season earnings to £360,000, and will lift from his current position of 20th in the Champions Race.

As a further gauge of his progress, Gonzalez finished last year ranked a lowly 135th in the world.

He now has a 3-0 career series win record against 19-year-old Acasuso who has spent the year flitting between the ATP and Challenger tours, winning his first senior title at Sopot, Poland, in July.

"Acasuso is a very good player and he's a very good friend. It's not easy to play against a friend," said Gonzalez, who replaced Marcelo Rios as Chile's number one player with the result.

"I've already achieved my goals for this year, and next year hopefully I can do a little bit better in the Grand Slams. That would be great."

Acasuso added: "I knew it was going to be a very difficult match. I did something different to the other matches by starting well. There wasn't much between us in the second set, just one break. And in the third he just played too well."