The Hindu : Sport : Maiden title for Palkina

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 05, 2006

Sport

Sport

Maiden title for Palkina

Kamesh Srinivasan

Final jinx continues to haunt Megha Vakharia

— Photo: Sandeep Saxena

MEMORABLE TRIUMPH: Palkina rounded off her Indian campaign in style. — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Ksenia Palkina wound up her five-week campaign in India on a triumphant note as she beat Megha Vakharia 6-2, 7-6(4) in the final of the Bhavna Swarup memorial $10,000 ITF women's tennis tournament at the Services Club grass courts here on Saturday.

It was a morale-boosting victory for the 16-year-old girl from Kyrgyzstan after the loss in the final of a similar tournament against Ankita Bhambri last week in Delhi.

Commendable effort

Serving well and stroking with authority, Palkina outplayed Megha though the latter managed to make a fight of it in the second set. It was a commendable effort from Palkina in that second set as she recovered from being two beaks down at 1-4 and eventually saved a set point in the tenth game with one of her many brilliant winners.

In fact, Palkina provided a spectacular finish to the contest as she hammered a forehand crosscourt winner, after being fully stretched, to catch the left-hander stranded for the umpteenth time. Except for slipping while trying a return on the run, Palkina played with determination and hardly put a foot wrong on the day.

Tough going

In contrast, the diminutive Megha could hardly get going though she found the backhand slice quite effective in the early part of the second set. However, the 21-year-old Mumbai girl continued to rely on the ineffective topspin drives and Palkina was clearly better with her quick reach and sharp strokes.

It was the first title in two finals in the professional circuit for Palkina. The effort fetched her $1,568 and six WTA points. She had won one title from two finals earlier in the ITF junior circuit in India.

Seventh loss

nx continued for Megha as it was her seventh loss in eight finals at this level. Megha had won her only title in Lagos in September 2002. She had won one title from three finals in the $5,000 circuit earlier in her career.

The disappointment of the loss apart, it was an overall good effort from Megha following her quarterfinal elimination last week. She was, in fact, returning to the circuit after six months following an injury lay off.

However, Palkina could not make a grand double as her partner Nicole Clerico of Italy opted out of the doubles final with a muscle pull.

The results (finals):

Singles: Ksenia Palkina (Kgz) bt Megha Vakharia 6-2, 7-6(4).

Doubles: Wei Ping Lee (Sin) and Lavinia Tananta Hartono (Ina) w.o. Ksenia Palkina (Kgz) and Nicole Clerico (Ita).

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