ITF Women's Tennis: Kovapitukted beats Vaidehi Chaudhari in straight sets

Third seed Punnin Kovapitukted of Thailand crushed the aspirations of Vaidehi Chaudhari with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the final of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project, Baliawas, on Sunday.

It was an authoritative show by Punnin (right) as she dropped only 19 games in all in five matches, and not more than four in a game to any opponent.

Third seed Punnin Kovapitukted of Thailand crushed the aspirations of Vaidehi Chaudhari with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the final of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project, Baliawas, on Sunday.

It was her maiden singles title in the professional circuit for the 19-year-old Thai who had lost tamely to Zeel Desai in the semifinals last week. Punnin has five doubles titles and had lost the final with Anna Ureke of Russia against Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Humera Baharmus on Saturday.

It was an authoritative show by the diminutive Punnin as she dropped only 19 games in all in five matches, and not more than four in a game to any opponent.

Despite a lethargic start, the 22-year-old Vaidehi, who had beaten top seed Zeel in the semifinals, did pose a serious challenge but failed to capitalise on many game points in the two-hour duel.

Both the players had similar style of play, but the Thai left-hander prevailed with her better athleticism and intensity of stroke play. Vaidehi tended to lose heart and confidence with every mistake she made, even though she won a few rounds of applause from the sparse gathering for her tenacious game.

There was a glimmer of hope in the second set, when Vaidehi ran up a 2-0 lead, but she missed four game points later in the sixth game to be on par at 3-3. It was the second loss in a final for Vaidehi, after the one in Solapur last year.

It was Anna Ureke who beat Zeel in nearly four hours in the final last week on clay in Jhajjar. The next two tournaments in the current circuit will be played in Ahmeadbad and Nagpur.