Ward has it easy against Adrian

Tennis ATP Challenger :Briton wins in straight sets

 Great Britain’s James Ward was on song as he packed off Adrian Menedez-Maceiras of Spain to win his first title of the season at the AirAsia Challenger tennis tournament here at the Karnataka State Law Tennis Association stadium on Sunday.

The second-seed took close to 80 minutes to record a convincing 6-2, 7-5 win, in a summit clash marred by the noisy Cubbon Park surroundings.

Ward, who will be turning up for Great Britain in the Davis Cup final this November, said that he was reaping the benefits of the hard work he had put in all through the season.

“It’s really good (to win a title). This is my first title of the season. I have been playing some of the best tennis of late. It is really good to finally enjoy the benefits of hard work I have put in all through the season.”

Meanwhile, Adrian also complimented his-big serving opponent, while admitting that the missed opportunities in either sets cost him the tie.

“He is a really good player and his serves are one of the best I have seen in the circuit. Against such players you get very few chances and you need to take those.

“Today I couldn’t make the most (of those chances). I had a few break points in either sets, but I failed to covert those. If I could have, the result would have been different,” said the Spaniard.

In his elements

The 28-year-old Ward was in his elements as he kicked-off the proceedings in impressive style to take the opening game at love, unleashing a couple of powerful aces that had the crowd on its feet.

Unperturbed by his opponents big serves, the Spanish top-seed held up his end until the sixth game, when he saw a half-volley rattle against the net to gift Ward the break and a 4-2 lead in the opening set.

Ward, later, consolidated his position by holding the following game, before once again breaking the Spaniard in the eighth game to take the first set in no time.

Holding the opening game of the second set, Adrian could have had an early edge over his British opponent when he set himself up with a 0-40 lead in the following game. But, the top-seed failed to make the most of the opportunity as the big-serving Ward crawled back to hold his serve and level proceedings in an impressive fashion.

Not deterred by the noisy surrounding, both players displayed exceptional tennis to entertain the crowd as long rallies became a norm and the second set looked set for a tie-breaker.

But that was not to be the case as Ward struck late with a well-controlled cross-court winner to break Adrian’s serve in the 12th game to wrap up his first title.