Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081061051700.htm

Sport - Tennis

Ihsan Husain and Sharmilla take honours

Sports Reporter

— Photo: M. Karunakaran

YOUNG ACHIEVERS: The India Pistons-KTC-TNTA junior tournament (under-14) winners — A. Sharmilla and Ihsan Husain — with chief guest Gautam Venkatramani.

CHENNAI: Pint-sized Ihsan Husain coasted to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over error-prone Keerthi Nathan in the final of the India Pistons-KTC-TNTA junior tennis tournament here on Saturday.

Surmounting an over one-foot height disadvantage, the crafty standard VIII student of Pon Vidyashram (Injambakkam) maintained a steady game from the baseline even as his larger opponent imploded under the baggage of 17 double faults.

Three breaks

Ihsan broke his adversary thrice in the first set — Keerthi broke back once in the third game — and sealed the first set 6-1.

He neutralised Keerthi’s power hitting with deceptively angled chip shots and ran down whatever was hurled his way. For his part, Keerthi appeared to be involved in an erratic slugfest, hitting a spate of wide forehands and crunching his backhand slices into the net.

With Keerthi spraying his serve everywhere but into the box, all Ihsan had to do was go through the motions. He clinched the second set 6-2 and with it the title.

Made to sweat

In the girls’ singles final, A. Sharmilla of Holy Angels School (T. Nagar) sweated to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Lavanya Saravanan of Kendriya Vidyalaya (Anna Nagar).

Sharmilla broke Lavanya in the seventh game of each set and hung on to the advantage to close out the match.

Lavanya served three consecutive double faults in the seventh game of the second set to ease things for the eventual winner.