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Tennis
By Kamesh Srinivasan
Radhika Tulpule, who won the ITF women's Masters final, beating Sheethal Goutham 6-2, 6-4, in New Delhi on Friday.— Photo: S. Subramanium
It was a clinical exhibition of crisp play at the DLTA Complex here, and the 20-year-old Radhika served and stroked with confidence, and a strong sense of purpose, to provide a fitting climax to the four-week circuit. She was easily the best player in the circuit, but the Pune girl had been struggling with her form through the three legs. She played much below par in the semifinal against Shruti Dhawan, only to come back strongly for the final, firing on all cylinders, much to the discomfiture of a jaded Sheethal. ``I had not won the Masters before. I had not done that well in the three legs, and was very keen to win this week," said Radhika, quite pleased to have executed her game plan, despite the warm and windy conditions. Radhika started so well that she ran up a 5-2 lead within no time, with breaks in the third, fifth and seventh games. She did get broken in the sixth game, but served out the set in 26 minutes, smacking three winners a row, to affix her stamp of authority. Into the second set, Sheethal played a lot better, but her legs were not cooperating much. It was admirable that she tried her best despite it being her 34th match of the circuit. She took a 2-0 lead with a break in the second game, but that was the last time she was able to break Radhika. Radhika broke back in the third game and again in the seventh game, as she stroked with ease and into the corners, showing a refreshing surety of touch, running around her forehand for sharp hits. Simply, Radhika could not put a foot wrong this day. Radhika had such a good percentage of first serves through the final, which she served out the match in the tenth game, without any fuss, bringing the curtains down on the contest that spanned an hour and six minutes. ``I had talked to coach Nandan Bal over the phone before the semifinals and the final. It helped me a lot,'' said Radhika. Sheethal was not too disappointed with her defeat, and said that she was very tired to be able to give her 100 per cent. ``Winning three titles was very good, and it gives me a lot of confidence. Making four finals is something,'' said Sheetal who has two Masters titles to her credit. She collected Rs. 23,650 and four WTA points. For Radhika it was a relief to win that elusive Masters title. She had won two $ 10,000 titles last year apart from one leg of the $ 5,000 circuit. The hunt for WTA points has started in right earnest, as she has many to defend. Radhika and company will rest for a few weeks and chalk their plan for tournaments abroad, to build on the foundation that has been strongly laid in two $ 5,000 circuits at home in the space of three months. The secretary of the DLTA, Mr. Kapil Dutta, and the former Davis Cupper, Balram Singh, gave away the prizes. The results (final): Radhika Tulpule bt Sheethal Goutham 6-2, 6-4.
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