Date:18/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/18/stories/2007061801491900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Tara Iyer triumphs

Tara Iyer won her maiden ITF women's title beating the fourth-seeded Elisa Balsamo of Italy 6-4, 7-6(5) in the final of the $10,000 event at Montemor-O-Nova, Portugal, on Sunday.

Tara did not drop a set in the whole tournament.

She outplayed the third-seeded Valentina Sulpizio of Italy 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand 7-6(4), 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

The second-seeded Tara had dropped only nine games in all in the first two rounds as she got past Catarina Ferreira of Portugal and Tara Wigan of Britain in that order.

In the tournament last week at Amarante, Tara, seeded No.1 had done well to make the semifinals, when Elisa had gone on to win the title.

Two of her other semifinal appearances were in Indonesia.

"It is a good effort by Tara and we are delighted with her maiden title. — Special Correspondent