REASON TO SMILE: Kaza Vinayaka Sarma (under-16) and Divija (under-14), winners of the Polyflex AITA National Series tennis championship. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: Top seed Kaza Vinayaka Sarma of Andhra Pradesh completed a swift demolition of unseeded Rishab Dev Raman of Tamil Nadu with a 6-1, 6-3 victory and claimed his maiden National Series under-16 singles title in the Polyflex AITA championship, which concluded at the Kims Courts here on Saturday.

The 15-year-old Sarma, who won three Champion Series titles last season, set a hot pace for his younger rival in the 75-minute encounter. His strong first serve and punishing forehand always had Rishab on the defensive.

Sarma broke Rishab in the fifth game, and took a 4-2 lead on his serve in the first set. But Rishab showing a semblance of a fightback, cracked Sarma in the eighth game. He, however, failed to maintain the momentum. Sarma hit back to break again in the ninth game and wrapped up the set and title.

Second seed M. Divija of Andhra Pradesh humbled top-seeded Nova Patel of Gujarat 6-3, 7-6(1) and won the girls' under-14 singles title.

In an absorbing baseline duel, Divija — who was back on the circuit after recovering from a bout of jaundice — held an edge with her steady groundstrokes.

Nova, after a lacklustre first set, rallied well in the second. Trailing 1-4, she fought back and pushed her rival to the tiebreaker. But Divija held her nerve and stopped Nova's surge with consummate ease in the tiebreak at 7-1.

Grand double

Divija's triumph was made doubly sweet after she won the girls' under-14 doubles title with Neha Purohit. The AP pair defeated Nova and Rishika Sunkara at 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-5 (super tiebreak).

Nova Patel, however, had the consolation of bagging the girls' under-16 singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over the fourth-seeded Nimisha Mohan of Karnataka.

Mr. Gaurav Gupta, Special Deputy Commissioner, Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and Mr. Anwar Hussain, Sr.Commercial Manager, South Western Railway, presided and gave away the prizes.

The results (all finals): Boys: Under-16 singles: Kaza Vinayaka Sarma (AP) bt Rishab Dev Raman (TN) 6-1, 6-3.

Girls: Under-14 singles: M. Divija (AP) bt Nova Patel (Guj) 6-3, 7-6(1). Doubles: M. Divija & Neha Purohit (AP) bt Rishika Sunkara (Del) & Nova Patel 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-5.

Under-16 singles: Nova Patel bt Nimisha Mohan (Kar) 6-3, 6-1.

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