Rushmi in line for a double crown
Veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi clinched the doubles title and stormed into the singles final to steal the show on the penultimate day of the Indian Jute-AITA National grass court tennis championship at the South Club courts here on Thursday.
The third seed, partnering Ankita Raina of Gujarat, sweated little to defeat Saadgi Rajni and Eetee Maheta (Gujarat) 6-1, 6-2 to win the doubles title.
Five-time national champion Rushmi brightened her hope for a second title when she shattered the hope of local girl Amrita Mukherjee with a 6-0, 6-4 victory.
The Tamil Nadu veteran broke Amrita thrice with a fluent display as the local girl was clueless conceding the first set without any resistance.
Amrita tried to stage a fightback but the powerful Rushmi took the decisive break on the seventh game and then held her sever to storm into the final where she will take on 16-year-old Hyderabadi Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy (seeded fourth).
There was no surprise in the men’s section as top seed Saketh Myneni justified his top billing to make the final with a 6-2, 6-4 win over veteran Nitin Kirrtane.
The Andhra lad will take on second seed and the last year’s champion A S Suresh Krishna who beat third seed P C Vignesh 6-2, 1-0 after the latter retired following a back pain.
Results: Men’s singles, semifinals: Saketh Myneni (AP) bt Nitin Kirrtane (Mah) 6-2, 6-4; A S Suresh Krishna (AP) bt P C Vignesh (AP) 6-2, 1-0 (retired).
Women’s singles, semifinals: Rushmi Chakravarthi (TN) bt Amrita Mukherjee (Ben) 6-0, 6-4; Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy (AP) bt Ankita Raina (Guj) 6-3, 6-1. Women’s doubles, final: Rushmi (TN)/ Ankita Raina (Guj) bt Saadgi Rajni/ Eetee Maheta (Guj) 6-1, 6-2.
