Rushmi downs Shruti for a grand double

By Kamesh Srinivasan

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. Rushmi Chakravarthi won her second international singles title of the season, beating Shruti Dhawan 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, in the India Tennis Centre 10,000 dollar ITF women's circuit tournament at the DLTA Complex here on Saturday.

In a contest in which fortunes swung a few times, it was the mature performance of the 23-year-old Rushmi that helped her deny a maiden title for Shruti, who was not at her consistent best this day.

Even in the doubles final, Shruti was unable to deny a double crown for Rushmi. The top-seeded Sai Jayalakshmy and Rushmi Chakravarthi beat Shruti and Radhika Tulpule 6-7 (5-7), 6- 4, 6-4 for their second successive title following the one in Chennai last week.

Playing a final is a totally different experience, especially so in singles play, and when you are in your maiden final, you do not think as sharply as you otherwise do. The 19- year-old Shruti had beaten Rushmi in the first round of a similar tournament for the loss of two games in the Netherlands a few months back, but could not capitalise on the psychological edge this day.

Reserves her best for climax

Yet, credit should go to Rushmi for bringing off her best game in the climax, even as Shruti wilted under the pressure, a factor that was distinctly reflected in the doublefault she delivered on matchpoint.

There was not much difference between the two for the best part of the first set, except for Shruti failing to capitalise on a breakpoint in the fifth game.

Shruti lost her way from 30-0 in the tenth game of the set, first with a doublefault. She missed a gamepoint by plunging a forehand into the net. Saved two setpoints, one with a good serve and the other with a forehand down the line winner. On the third setpoint, Shruti was unable to reply to a sharp return from Rushmi.

In the second set, Shruti was a lot more determined and played a better. Once she saved a breakpoint, with a favourable chord in the fourth game, Shruti was in command, playing her shots with usual aplomb.

In the 11th game, Rushmi saved two breakpoints with winners, but put a backhand out on the third breakpoint which had been set up by a blistering backhand down the line by Shruti. The Chandigarh lass served out the set confidently at 15 to force the decider.

Shruti continued to be on song in the third set as she put considerable pressure on Rushmi's game. Rushmi faced two breakpoints in the first game, and did well to wriggle out with a neat volley and a backhand winner. Shruti was by now serving as confidently as ever, and reeled off her first two service games for the loss of one point. In fact, she broke Rushmi in the third game at love, in a sequence that saw her win 11 points in a row, including the first two points on Rushmi's serve in the fifth game.

Once again, it was Rushmi's self-belief that bailed her out, even as she was panting for breath in hot and humid conditions. Rushmi won the next four points.

Shruti missed two gamepoints in the sixth game, and Rushmi smacked a forehand down the line to convert the second breakpoint. Rushmi dropped her serve in the next game, but that was the last game she gave Shruti.

Shruti turns erratic

Shruti was unusually erratic in the end, and Rushmi grabbed her chances with both hands by keeping a cool head despite weary legs, to allow herself a happy smile after two hours of exacting play.

Rushmi announced her reserves of energy by serving two aces, her only aces in the match, on the first two points in the ninth game. It was no surprise that she won the game at love. In contrast, Shruti was also leading 30-0 in the tenth game as Rushmi put two returns out, but still could not win another point, as she erred thrice, the other point having been earned by a Rushmi winner.

Shruti had one ace and seven doublefaults, including the one on matchpoint, while Rushmi had two doublefaults apart from those two aces.

The victory was worth $1,600 and six WTA points for the national hardcourt champion, including one bonus point for beating the 459th-ranked Shruti.

The Chandigarh girl had to be content with $1,000 and four WTA points. More than the money and the points, the experience will stand the talented and energetic girl in good stead in future.

The doubles title was worth five WTA points each for Sai and Rushmi who split $650 dollars. Shruti and Radhika collected four WTA points each and shared $350.

The results (finals):

Singles: Rushmi Chakravarthi bt Shruti Dhawan 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.

Doubles: Sai Jayalakshmy and Rushmi Chakravarthi bt Shruti Dhawan and Radhika Tulpule 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4.

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