The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Vishnu Vardhan wins title

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Sunday, Apr 17, 2011
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Vishnu Vardhan wins title

CHANDIGARH: Vishnu Vardhan recovered from an indifferent start and accepted a lucky turn to beat Yuki Bhambri 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the Union Bank $10,000 ITF men's Futures tennis tournament at the CLTA Complex here on Saturday.

Though it was an anti-climax as second-seeded Yuki, seeking his seventh title at this level from as many finals, cramped midway through the second set in a contest that lasted two hours and 21 minutes, the top-seeded Vishnu Vardhan richly deserved the title for the high quality game he had demonstrated through the week.

However, it was the 18-year-old Yuki who started brilliantly, fresh and fearless, serving and stroking with rare poise. Yuki broke Vardhan in the first game itself, and kept his serve quite hot to cruise through with the first set in 43 minutes, even as Vardhan kept himself busy, saving a clutch of breakpoints.

In fact, Yuki was up 3-1 in the second set, as he broke Vardhan in the third game at love. To his credit, Vardhan saved four breakpoints in the fifth game to hold serve, and luck started smiling on him thereafter.

Yuki sought an ice pack after the fifth game as he suffered cramps on the left leg. He was not the same player any more, though he manfully played till the finish, smacking many a winner even while playing on one leg. — Special Correspondent

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