Vaidehi Chaudhari clinches doubles title, reaches singles final in ITF women’s tournament in Gwalior

In the final, Vaidehi will challenge her doubles partner and the top seed Ksenia Laskutova of Russia with whom she won the doubles title on Saturday.

Doubles champs, Ksenia Laskutova and Vaidehi Chaudhari in the ITF women’s tennis tournament in Gwalior on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Second seed Vaidehi Chaudhari sustained her strong game and reached the final of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the City Centre Tennis Complex in Gwalior on Saturday.

Vaidehi led 6-4, 3-0 when her opponent, the fourth seeded Weronika Baszak of Poland retired.

In the final, Vaidehi will challenge her doubles partner and the top seed Ksenia Laskutova of Russia.

Laskutova had a lucky escape to the final as Humera Baharmus retired midway through the second set after having won the first. Laskutova had recovered to reach 5-7, 4-0 when Humera quit.

It was a hard-to-digest exit for the wiry Humera, as she had not dropped a set in the tournament.

In the doubles final, top seeds Laskutova and Vaidehi prevailed over the unseeded pair of Vaishnavi Adkar and Saumya Vig 6-1, 7-6(3).

Vaishnavi and Saumya led 4-1 in the second set but were unable to stretch the fight any further than take it to the tie-break.

It was a maiden title in the professional circuit for the 22-year-old Vaidehi, the reigning national champion. For the 26-year-old Laskutova, it was her fourth doubles title of the season and 13th of her career. The tall and lean Russian has also won two singles titles this season in Monastir, Tunisia.

For the 18-year-old Vaishnavi, it was a commendable run to make the final in only her fifth tournament in the professional circuit. For the 27-year-old Saumya, the quest for a title continued.

The results: Singles (semifinals): Ksenia Laskkutova (Rus) bt Humera Baharmus 5-7, 4-0 (retired); Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Weronika Baszak (Pol) 6-4, 3-0 (retired).

Doubles (final): Ksenia Laskutova & Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Vaishnavi Adkar & Saumya Vig 6-1, 7-6(3).