Leander Paes wins 25th Challenger doubles title at Newport Beach

(Representational image)

New Delhi: Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes won his 25th ATP Challenger level doubles title with partner James Cerretani after beating Denis Kudla and Treat Huey in the final of the Newport Beach event.

The second-seeded Indo-American pair defeated the American-Filipino combine 6-4 7-5 in the summit clash of the USD 150,000 hardcourt tournament.

Paes, world No 61, has won crucial 125 points with this win as he is striving to move up the rankings ladder. He had logged 90 points at the Australian Open, where he made the third round with compatriot Purav Raja.

When the new rankings will be issued tomorrow, Paes is likely to get back to top-50.

Paes, the winner of 11 singles titles on the Challenger Tour, had ended the 2017 season with consecutive trophies in Champaign and Knoxville with Raja.