The Hindu : It's Shruti vs Radhika

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 15, 2002

Sport

Sport - Tennis

It's Shruti vs Radhika

By Kamesh Srinivasan

NEW DELHI JUNE 14. When she has her mind in a leash, Shruti Dhawan can do wonders on court. The 20-year-old Chandigarh girl was in one of her better moods, as she toyed with Radhika Tulpule in scripting a 6-3, 6-1 victory in the semifinals of the $5000 GAIL ITF women's circuit tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex here on Friday.

What was expected to be a lively contest between two players who hit the ball well proved a one-sided affair, as Radhika failed to live up to the challenge, as she was tired after the long three-setter in the doubles semifinals the previous evening.

Shruti has been working on her game diligently.

Her studious approach proved effective this day as she denied the pace for Radhika and brought such variations into her game, at crucial junctures, that the latter was left gasping for breath.

"Playing on grass last week has helped my game. She knows my game and expected some shots. I didn't play them'', said Shruti, who smartly handled Radhika's challenge after the latter held serve for 3-3 in the opening set.

Shruti broke Radhika with a backhand drop in the eighth game, and overcame moments of indecision in the ninth when the chair umpire made a couple of bad over-rules against the Chandigarh lass.

The drop proved very useful for Shruti, as Radhika struggled with her movements, especially towards the net. The Pune girl held serve in the first game of the second set, and that was it.

In a final flicker, Radhika saved three matchpoints on her serve in the seventh game, mainly because Shruti was trying to blast the winners, but netted a forehand in bringing the curtains down.

The second-seeded Shruti will meet the top-seeded Sheethal Goutham in a repeat final of last week.

Sheethal was in a spot of bother, but recovered with her usual elegance in running away to a 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 victory in an hour and 45 minutes against Ankita Bhambri.

Sheethal led 5-2 in the first set, when she saved two breakpoints to hold serve in the seventh game. The 21-year-old Bangalore girl let things drift from that position of strength, even as Ankita smacked winners with a flourish to jump ahead.

The 15-year-old Ankita broke Sheethal in the ninth and 11th games, and converted the third setpoint, as Sheethal put a backhand long after a long rally.

Had she not opted for tennis, Sheethal would have made a career as a mind reader. She read Ankita's game so well, that she cruised through in the next two sets, making precision movements at the net, and winning most of the rallies.

Ankita, who impressed the sparse gathering with her strong serves and blistering winners, managed to hold serve in the fourth game of the second set and third game of the third set, leaving the rest for Sheethal. If she plays the key points with better concentration, Ankita should be able to justify her potential. She had beaten Sheethal in the Masters final in April, but has lost to her the last two times, albeit in three sets each. The lessons from defeat, are the biggest gain that one can hope to have.

"I knew that she can't be hitting winners all the time. I didn't know what happened after I was up 5-2. But I could read her game well, and thus it became easy for me in the end'', said Sheethal.

It was the 24th victory in 25 matches in the current circuit for Sheethal, who had gone through a similar experience of striking a bad patch after being up 5-2 last week against Iciri Rai, whom she eventually beat 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.

"Last week was grass. Now it is hardcourt'', said Shruti with a smile, hoping that she would be able to tilt the balance in her favour against her doubles partner on the morrow.If she keeps her mind in a leash, Shruti can, of course, do wonders even against Sheethal, who has looked a magician to the rest in this circuit.

In the doubles final fourth-seeded Ankita Bhambri and Sonal Phadke put up a good fight and saved three match points, despite strong winds after a heavy dust-storm, before going down in three sets to the top-seeded Sheethal Goutham and Shruti Dhawan.

The results:

Singles (semifinals): Sheethal Goutham bt Ankita Bhambri 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; Shruti Dhawan bt Radhika Tulpule 6-3, 6-1.

Doubles (final): Sheethal Goutham and Shruti Dhawan bt Ankita Bhambri and Sonal Phadke 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

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