Tokyo, Japan, 9 October 2016 | AAP/tennis.com.au

Nick Kyrgios has claimed his third ATP title of the year, winning a three-set arm wrestle with Belgian David Goffin at the Japan Open.

The Australian scored a 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory in a high-quality spectacle in Tokyo.

Kyrgios squandered several opportunities in the first set but enjoyed a break in each of the final two sets to secure the win.

“It was tough, we had a lot of long rallies. The way I returned got me a lot of opportunities. It was a high-quality match, but I got lucky at times as well.

“I played a very tough match against Gael Monfils yesterday, so it took me a little time to get into this match. David makes you feel like the court is very small. My serve got me out of trouble today.”

Indeed Kyrgios fired 25 aces as well as threatening to break Goffin on several occasions in the final set.

He held break points in the fifth, seventh and ninth games before finally converting in the 11th to move ahead 6-5.

He served out the match convincingly in the next game to seal his triumph.

The victory at the ATP 500 level tournament is the biggest of the 21-year-old’s career, and the third of 2016 after he won earlier in Marseille and Atlanta.

“Thanks to my new team, especially Mum – I couldn’t have done this without you,” Kyrgios said during the trophy presentation.

“It was a great week and I’ll be here again. I’m going to come here, for sure, for my whole career.”

It is the biggest title won by an Aussie male since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

He vaults to 12th place in the ATP Race to London, improves his 2016 win-loss record to 38-14 and joins Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka as the only players to have won at least three titles this season.