India’s Karun Uday Singh wins the boys’ITF title at MSLTA, Tanvi Shah falls to Aliev Angelika in girls’ section
India’s Karun Uday Singh wins the boys’ITF title at MSLTA, Tanvi Shah falls to Aliev Angelika in girls’ section
MUMBAI: Karun Uday Singh justified top billing with victory in Boys’ singles in the ITF Grade IV Junior tournament at MSLTA on Saturday, but Tanvi Shah could not make it an Indian double as she lost out in the girls’ final to Israeli Aliev Angelika.
There was still, however, double delight in the doubles, as Singh and Abhijeet Tiwari had won the boys’ doubles, while Shah and Rashmi Teltumbde had secured the girls’ on Friday.
Singh’s victory over the Italian Riccardo Sinicropi was characterised by the booms which rung around the court every time he hit his serve.
This weapon, combined with the power of his ground strokes proved too much for his struggling opponent, and Singh ran out a 6-4 6-4 winner.
Even as he won the title, Singh was the picture of cool, swaggering it to shake hands and nonchalantly walking away checking his text messages as if he has just finished a friendly park match.
“It has been a great year for me, first winning the tournament in Gurgaon and then here. It’s two for the year,” he said, exuding an air of being slightly above it all.
Tanvi Shah, who had looked in complete control beating Israel’s Olga Blank the day before, found the compatriot Angelika a significantly tougher proposition.
Shah’s intelligent defensive play was countered by some power and patience from Angelika. In the end, despite two breaks of serve from the Indian, victory was always heading toward her top seeded competitor.
Angelika’s smart approach was typified by a point late on in the first set, where Shah looked to slow the rally by lobbing from the back of the court.
Angelika was happy to follow suit, and put away the attack in her game, as a length exchange of lobs finally resulted in Shah’s patience being the first to crack.
Shah called for the trainer in the second set to have some treatment on her calf muscle, and it quickly became apparent that she was suffering.
Despite this, she pulled back from 5-0 down to 5-2, but was put away eventually by the free flowing Angelika. Shah said that she had been carrying the injury into the tournament.
“I actually hurt my leg playing against the same girl in a final last week,” she said. “I would have rested it, but I needed to play here to pick up points to get entry to the Junior Grand Slams.”
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