The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Gruber masters Ajay

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 04, 2004

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Gruber masters Ajay

By Kamesh Srinivasan

NEW DELHI, DEC. 3. Ajay Ramaswami failed to capitalise on a good start and surrendered tamely to the third-seeded Konstantin Gruber of Austria in the final of the Masters event in the ITF Satellite tennis circuit that concluded at the DLTA Complex here on Friday.

After having beaten a string of quality players, the 24-year-old Indian was unable to provide an appropriate climax to his campaign in the final and lost 4-6, 4-6 to the Austrian who finished second best in the circuit to Simon Greul of Germany.

Both the players were fighting for an additional six ATP points, but the clutch of points did not inspire Ajay to play with his wonted fluency despite a dream start.

It was Ajay who raced to a 4-1, breaking Gruber in the fourth game with a return winner down the line on breakpoint. Yet, it was the Indian lad who lost the momentum thereafter as he allowed Gruber the luxury of winning five games in a row.

Ajay had his chances during those games, but was playing below par and thus was unable to convert them. The Mumbaiker, playing only his second final at this level following a Futures final in 2002, missed three breakpoints in all in the sixth and eighth games and two gamepoints in the ninth game.

Even in the second set, Ajay had a breakpoint at 4-3 but put a return out. He missed a gamepoint and got broken decively in the ninth game. He had perhaps exhausted his luck and his challenge came unstuck this day.

Gruber went about his task with a quiet resolve. He had roared and ranted in making the final in the third week, and the semifinal in the first week, but the Austrian was perhaps pleasantly surprised to see things turning in his favour without much effort from his side.

With Gruber serving at 40-0, Ajay saved two matchpoints with winners, much to the joy of the hundreds of school children who had assembled to provide a lively atmosphere for the ITF wheelchair programme, but erred on the third in making a polite bow.

For someone who had won only two matches in three weeks, Ajay had played beyond expectations in the Masters, but all the same it was a golden chance missed to provide a strong boost to his career. He collected 12 ATP points, and $600

Gruber finished with 37 ATP points including a bonus of four for finishing runner-up in the circuit. He pocketed $800.

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