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India claim tennis gold in men`s team event
Hyderabad, Oct 27: India no.1 Prakash Amritraj recovered from a lethargic start as the hosts routed Nigeria 3-0 to lift the gold in the men`s team event of the tennis competition in the inaugural Afro-Asian Games here today.
Hyderabad, Oct 27: India no.1 Prakash Amritraj
recovered from a lethargic start as the hosts routed Nigeria
3-0 to lift the gold in the men's team event of the tennis
competition in the inaugural Afro-Asian Games here today.
After fellow Davis Cupper Rohan Bopanna put India 1-0
ahead trouncing Rotimi Jegede 6-2 6-2, Amritraj found the
going tough initially against Sunday Maku, the top ranked
Nigerian, before carving out a 6-4 6-1 victory.
In the inconsequential third match of the tie, Vijay Kannan and Vishal Uppal tamed Balalola Abdul and Maku 6-1 6-4 to complete the rout and the African nation had to be content with the silver.
Amritraj looked out of touch from the beginning and had difficulty in getting his first serves going besides committing a series of unforced errors as Maku broke him in the third game itself.
The Indian's first serves, which were very effective in the semifinal against Johny Arcila of Phillpines, let him down and also failed to return serves on several occasions.
But Amritraj, the top ranked in the ATP list among the contestants, kept his cool and bounced back leveling the scores in the eighth game before breaking his rival in the 10th to clinch the set as Maku made more and more errors, including double faults in the crucial game.
With a double break in the second set -- in the second and fourth games -- Amritraj again wrested the initiative and finished off rather easily in the end. Holding two match points, the 20-year old Indian won in style with an ace.
Bureau Report
In the inconsequential third match of the tie, Vijay Kannan and Vishal Uppal tamed Balalola Abdul and Maku 6-1 6-4 to complete the rout and the African nation had to be content with the silver.
Amritraj looked out of touch from the beginning and had difficulty in getting his first serves going besides committing a series of unforced errors as Maku broke him in the third game itself.
The Indian's first serves, which were very effective in the semifinal against Johny Arcila of Phillpines, let him down and also failed to return serves on several occasions.
But Amritraj, the top ranked in the ATP list among the contestants, kept his cool and bounced back leveling the scores in the eighth game before breaking his rival in the 10th to clinch the set as Maku made more and more errors, including double faults in the crucial game.
With a double break in the second set -- in the second and fourth games -- Amritraj again wrested the initiative and finished off rather easily in the end. Holding two match points, the 20-year old Indian won in style with an ace.
Bureau Report