The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Double for Rushmi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 05, 2004

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Double for Rushmi

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 4. The top-seeded Rushmi Chakravarthi asserted her class in beating her doubles partner Sai Jayalakshmy 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour in the final of the BSNL $10,000 ITF women's tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex here on Saturday.

It was a double crown for the 26-year-old Rushmi, as she had won the doubles title with Sai on Friday. It was the eighth career singles ITF title and third this season for Rushmi.

Rushmi served big and stroked with confidence in overwhelming the 27-year-old Sai who struggled with her serve and indifferent strokeplay. To complicate matters, Sai collided with one of the ball-boys that resulted in a neck sprain, after four games in the second set.

Rushmi broke Sai in the first game to get a good start and called the shots throughout the contest, despite being broken in the fourth game. That was the only time she faltered. In fact Rushmi conceded a mere nine points in seven other service games. She started with an ace and wound up with one. Sai, on the other hand, started with a doublefault and wound up the show with one.

Rushmi was in fine form, and the only way Sai could have stretched the contest was by restricting her unforced errors. Unfortunately, for every good shot, Sai made two mistakes that led to her defeat.

Rushmi collected $1600 and six WTA points, while Sai pocketed $1000 and four WTA points.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport