GETTING to the top is easier than staying there. Sonal Phadke showed the self-belief and composure of a champion to justify her number one ranking, winning the first of the four-leg ITF women's circuit in Mumbai. The 19-year-old local girl needed more than just home advantage to keep a step ahead of competition and raised her game to win the big points in each of the four matches on way to the title, celebrating her 19th birthday on court in style, pocketing Rs. 29,500 and 16 ITF circuit points.
The top seed had worked on her physique and a first round three-setter forced her to improve on her game. Thereafter as the matches got tougher, Sonal consistently raised her level of play. In the final, a first set loss forced Sonal to abandon a hint of hesitancy and explode into strokeplay, using a double-handed attack on both flanks to overpower Samrita Sekar 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 15 minutes. "In the first set I was tentative and had to go for more power later," said the champion after giving herself a birthday present. Her mother was pacing outside unable to bear the tension and drama of the final.
Samrita, banking on power and a good forehand, was the most impressive mover in the first leg, till she came up against the experienced Sonal in the singles final. The unseeded 17-year-old went on to win three matches by outpowering her opponents. Two of her victims were seeded players, number two Archana Venkataraman and number seven Nandita Chandrasekhar, both unable to counter the blast from the baseline. "I have to improve on my court movements," said Samrita, a trainee at the Krishnan Tennis Centre and Tamil Nadu Centre for Tennis Excellence, after losing in the final.
The top seed was too experienced to be rattled by mere power, moving her rival on the baseline with wristy, deceptive strokes and feeding off weak returns from Samrita, whose aggressive intent was diluted by lack of mobility.
The game demands athleticism, an acquired skill which can only enhance Samritha's ability to perform against experienced players, as was evident when qualifying for her first ITF circuit final. "I have played Samrita five times before, won every time but this final was the toughest match," observed Sonal.
Megha Vakharia showed more talent than most players seeded higher on the women's circuit. The sprightly southpaw packs a lot of power in her forehand, serves well and has a flair for finding angles. A twisted ankle in the early rounds and fever-induced weakness restricted her movements, hampering her from going all-out against Sonal in the semifinals. Of the younger lot, Liza Pereira can go far, provided she can harness power and flair properly.
Liza, seeded eighth, suffered an embarrassing 0-6, 0-6 mauling at the hands of Isha Lakhani but put this setback behind her to clinch the doubles crown, partnering Sheetal Goutham in a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over the top-seeded pair of Sonal and Karishma Patel. Isha's penetrative groundstrokes and determination helped her stretch second seed Archana Venkataraman before bowing out in the quarterfinals.
Eight of the Indian girls playing the first leg were put through a preparatory camp by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) under former Davis Cupper Gaurav Natekar to get them tuned up, physically and technically, for the rigours of a four-week circuit. Two of them - Sonal Phadke and Megha Vakharia - qualified for the semifinal phase.
The leg was sponsored and organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association at the Dr. G. A. Ranade courts. Annie Trepanier, a physical education teacher from Montreal, was the only foreign entry, making the main draw as a qualifier of a circuit having the ITF label, but in fact reduced to an all-India level competition.
The results (Indians unless specified):Singles final: 1-Sonal Phadke bt Samrita Sekar 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Semifinals: 1-Sonal Phadke bt 6-Megha Vakharia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2; Samrita Sekar bt bt 2-Archana Venkataraman 6-4, 6-3.
Doubles final: 2-Liza Pereira and Sheetal Goutham bt 1-Sonal Phadke and Karishma Patel 6-4, 6-3; Semifinals: Liza Pereira and Sheetal Goutham bt Archana Venkataraman and Arthi Venkataraman 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Sonal Phadke and Karishma Patel bt Samrita Sekar and Yamini Thukkaiandi 6-1, 6-0.
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