The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Qureshi rallies well to clinch title

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Sunday, Dec 24, 2006
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Qureshi rallies well to clinch title

Special Correspondent

Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi. — Photo: S. Subramanium

NEW DELHI: Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi started on the wrong foot, both literally and figuratively, but bounced back in style to beat the top-seeded Rohan Bopanna 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the State Bank of Saurashtra $15,000 ITF men's Futures tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex here on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Bopanna hardly put a foot wrong as he raced away with the first set in 25 minutes, serving big and stroking with confidence.

He dropped only three points in all in his four service games and returned in a spectacular fashion to break Qureshi in the fourth and eighth games.

However, Bopanna looked to have forgotten the success script early in the second set as he got broken in the third game without any provocation, as he made two errors from 30-30.

Qureshi by now was ready for the battle, as the pain-killer sprayed on his problematic left knee that was hampering his movement early on, seemed to have taken its effect. While Qureshi played a solid game, giving little away, improving the sting and intensity of his serves, Bopanna tended to be wayward and was losing his way.

It was no surprise that Bopanna got broken in the ninth game as well as he followed an ace with two errors.

Unconvincing play

Once Bopanna got broken in the second game of the decider, after saving two breakpoints, with yet another backhand error, the writing was very much on the wall.

There was no conviction in his challenge. Qureshi saved a breakpoint in the third game to avert any change in the flow of the tide, and cruised home thereafter, riding on his eight aces in the third set.

This was the third straight win for Qureshi over his erstwhile doubles partner in the circuit, including the Davis Cup encounter in Mumbai in April. Qureshi had beaten Bopanna in the semifinals at Chandigarh on way to his previous title on Indian turf last year.

This was a second loss in a final this season for Bopanna, after he had made the Bukhara Challenger as a qualifier.

The disappointment of losing the final apart, it has been a good season for Bopanna as he qualified in two Tour events and got to play the world No. 1 Roger Federer at Halle.

He also made it to the doubles finals of two Tour events. He will be off to Perth for the Hopman's Cup mixed event with Sania Mirza.

The winner collected 24 ATP points and $1,950 and the runner-up, 16 ATP points and $1,350.

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