The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Karan Rastogi clinches title

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Saturday, Mar 24, 2007
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Sport - Tennis

Karan Rastogi clinches title

Sports Reporter

— Photo: R. Ragu

ON A ROLL: Karan Rastogi makes a forehand return on way to winning the PSPB inter-unit tennis tournament on Friday.

CHENNAI: Karan Rastogi (ONGC) tamed an aggressive Sanam Singh (IOC) with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 victory in the men's singles final of the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board inter-unit tennis tournament, which concluded at the SDAT-Nungambakkam Stadium here on Friday. In a contest that spanned close to two hours, Rastogi and Singh played an intense match that featured long and exhaustive rallies.

Singh's shot-making abilities were attractive and effective in the first set. With a free-flowing forehand and a double-handed backhand, he gave Rastogi no chance, coming up with outright winners on most occasions. Perhaps, Singh's inability to resist going for the winner on every point cost him the match.

Rastogi, inducted into the Davis Cup tie against host Kazakhstan next month, played safe, counter-punching. Once he sorted out Singh's game, Rastogi took a commanding 5-1 lead in the second set. "These are good warm-up matches not only for Davis Cup but for other matches as well," he said.

Other results:

Men singles: Semifinals: Sanam Singh (IOC) bt Sunil Kumar (IOC) 6-4, 6-4. Doubles: Final: Rohan Bopanna & Vijay Kannan (IOC) bt Sunil Kumar & Sanam Singh (IOC) 6-3, 6-3. Veteran's Singles: Final: T.S. Bhandari (IBP) bt Kalyan K. Das (OIL) 6-2, 6-0. Doubles final: P.K. Walia & H.M. Bhangari (ONGC) bt J. Mishra & Krishnaiah (ONGC) 6-2, 6-2.