Third-seeded Ramkumar Ramanathan, a member of the Indian Davis Cup team, completed a grand double.
The 29-year-old Ramkumar was in complete control against an uncharacteristic and unseeded Siddharth Vishwakarma marching to an easy victory in an all-Indian men’s singles finals of the MSLTA $25000 Men’s ITF Tennis Championship 2023, being organized by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and played at the Dr GA Ranade Tennis centre, here, in Mumbai on Sunday morning.
The Tamil Nadu star Ramkumar, ranked 642 on the ATP ranking list, charged to an easy 6-0, 6-4 victory against the 874th ranked Vishwakarma in a little under an hour to clinch the top honours.
Ramakumar, along with his Indian partner Purva Raja had claimed the men’s doubles title on Saturday.
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Bharat Oza, President, MSLTA presented Ramkumar with the winners’ prize of $4375 (₹3,59,500) and a glittering trophy. He also earned 25 ATP points. Sunder Iyer, Hon. Secretary, MSLTA along with Nikhil Sampat and r Amit Shroff, both MSLTA Council members handed Vishwakarma the runner-up prize of $2210 (₹1,81,551) and a trophy. Vishwakarma also 16 ATP Points.
The tall Ramkumar served well and was consistent with his serves and excellent returns went on to end the superb winning run of the left-handed 29-year-old National Champion Vishwakarma, who committed too many unforced errors and was unable to offer much of a fight.
Ramkumar started in whirlwind fashion and punished the erratic Vishwakarma and with breaks in the first, third and fifth games went on to serve out to wrap up the first set.
In the second set, Vishwakumar showed signs of putting up a fight, but except for some occasional fine passing returns there was not much to cheer. Ramkumar got a lone crucial break in the fifth game and then raced ahead unchallenged to a complete a deserving win and seal his second 25k title in a gap of five weeks. He had earlier won the ITF finals at Davangere.
Results - Men’s singles (finals): 3-Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) beat Siddharth Vishwakarma (IND) 6-0, 6-4.
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