Date:30/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/30/stories/2007073054431700.htm

Sport - Tennis

Vijay Kannan bags title

Sports Reporter

TENNIS /Jeevan falters after a blistering start

— Photo: R. Ragu

Rallying around: Vijay Kannan held his nerve to get past Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan.

CHENNAI: Vijay Kannan termed his 0-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan in the final of the GNC-KCG Verghese ITF Futures tennis tournament at the SDAT-Nungambakkam Stadium here on Sunday, as special. It was indeed so.

Playing Jeevan, who is in good form was no easy task. The second seeded Vijay, took his time to settle down and then in a calm and composed way completed the victory in about two hours.

Heavy overnight showers and persistent drizzle forced the organisers to conduct the final on the synthetic courts of the Nungambakkam Stadium. But the change in surface made no difference to both. “It was the same for both of us,” said Vijay after the match.

The officials, later, insisted that there was a provision in the ITF rules that allowed such a shift in case of an emergency.

Tearing hurry

Jeevan seemed to be in a tearing hurry to finish off the match. He decimated Vijay in the first set. Numerous forehand winners flowed from the 18-year-old’s racquet. Unforced errors from Vijay too contributed to the one-sided first set.

Vijay, an experienced player with one title and two runner-up finishes at this level, however, regrouped quickly. His began to move well and his characteristic chip and charge tactics started to yield points.

Though Jeevan was the more aggressive one in the second set, it was Vijay who got the crucial breaks in the seventh and ninth games.

Jeevan cracked first in the 12th game of the decider. The two had held their serves until then. Jeevan saved one match point and seemed like he might save one more.

Vijay came up with a weak return to Jeevan’s first serve. Unleashing a stinging forehand to Vijay’s backhand side, Jeevan thought the point would be his as he approached the net for the kill. But Vijay’s stretched backhand sailed beyond Jeevan’s reach, taking him totally by surprise. Vijay and Jeevan became richer by $1300 (12 ATP points) and $900 (8 ATP points).