In a match that lasted more than two hours third-seed Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan outlasted Tak Khunn Wang of France in three sets 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-2 in the semifinals of the MCC-SR Subramaniam Memorial ITF Men’s Futures tennis tournament at the TNTA Courts here on Friday. Jeevan will face V Crivoi in the final. Crivoi outwitted T Turini 6-3, 6-2 in the other semifinal.
Jeevan after winning the toss, elected to serve and comfortably held serve to lead 1-0. Wang was stretched in the next game but held on to level one-all. Thereafter Wang pressurised Jeevan and took charge by breaking him in the third game and held serve to lead 3-1. In the fifth game, Jeevan clawed back with four good first serves and punishing forehand and decreased the deficit. Both players held serve till Wang lead 5-3. Jeevan played an inspired game to win the next eight points to level the scores at 5-5.
In the long 11th game, Jeevan served two double faults to give Wang break point advantage. On one of those break points, Wang hit a fluent forehand down the line which was called out.
Wang questioned the call but the umpires’ decision stood. Jeevan went on to lead 6-5. Wang took the set into tie-break holding his sserve in the 12th game. Jeevan went on to win the tiebreak comfortably 7-2 and the set.
Wang found his groove early in the second set. He served and stroked fluently breaking Jeevan in the second and eighth games to win the set 6-2. Jeevan, who had lost his way in the second set, regained his composure and broke Wang in the first game of the third set after being down 15-40. This was the turning point. Jeevan’s first serve percentage improved substantially and coupled with his punishing forehand winners, he broke Wang in the third game to lead 3-0. Maintaining the same tempo, he won the set 6-2 and the match.
In the doubles final the Indo-Japanese top seeded pair of Arata Onozawa and R Arun Prakash got the better of No 2-seeded pair of N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 6-4, 0-6, (10-7).
Results (Singles Semis): V Crivoi (ROU) bt T Turini (BRA) 6-3, 6-2; J Nedunchezhiyan (IND) bt T Khunn Wang (FRA) 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-2; Doubles (Final): A Onozawa (JPN)/Arun-Prakash Rajagopalan (IND) bt N Sriram Balaji (IND)/J Nedunchezhiyan (IND) 6-4, 0-6, (10-7).
TNTA condoles PL Reddy’s death
TNTA on Friday condoled the passing away of PL Reddy, former vice-president of TNTA and former secretary general of AITA.
TNTA president MA Alagappan in his condolence message said: “I have known PL as he was affectionately known, as a gentleman, an ardent tennis lover and as one of the most regular tennis players at Egmore since the fifties. His contribution to the growth of TNTA as an office-bearer and his organising of various tournaments and coaches workshops in the seventies and eighties is to be appreciated. It was also during his tenure as secretary of AITA that the first ever ITF under-18 event held in India was conducted in Chennai. The Tennis community will miss his presence and I pray that his family have the strength to bear his immense loss.’’
Swimming meet
Senthamizh Selvan, MLA, Saidapet constituency, will organise TN state-level swimming meet at Aquatic Complex, Velachery on March 2 to commemorate Tamil Nadu’s CM 65th birthday.
Around 550 swimmers from various districts will compete in Open group 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.