Pune Marathas emerged victorious in the inaugural Champions Tennis league (CTl) winning a closely contested tie by a margin of 27-23 games at the RK Khanna complex here on Wednesday.
In a final that went right to the wire, Marcos Baghdatis of Pune triumphed over Delhi’s Kevin Anderson in the final match to get his side the win and a cheque of `1 crore.Going into the final, Pune had remained unbeaten in the South Zone matches while Delhi had won three of their four ties.
Delhi’s Juan Carlos Ferrero kept his winning streak going in the legend’s singles as he eclipsed the 1987 Wimbledon winner Pat Cash 6-3 much to the misery of the Australian who didn’t win any of his matches in the competition.
The Spaniard was clinical when the opportunity came his way and converted one of the three break points. In the sixth game of the set, down 30-40, a serve and volley attempt by Cash proved futile with Ferrero’s fiercely hit forehand winner going past the bandana-wearing Cash much to his frustration.
Despite a very vocal support for the Pune team, Cash couldn’t trouble Ferrero’s serve and former World No 1 served the match out when the Australian shanked his backhand on the net.
In the mixed doubles match, Delhi’s pairing of Sanam Singh and Jelena Jankovic lost out narrowly in the tiebreak after a battle with Marcos Baghdatis and Agnieszka Radwanska. In the fifth game, Jankowic’s slightest error to move at the wrong time handed the Pune team a break.
However, she proved the heroine in the very next game earning Delhi the break back after a long rally from the back of the court with Baghdatis. In the tiebreak at 5-5 per the competition format, neither of the two teams were convincing on their serve with five mini breaks involved.
In the end, Cypriot Baghdatis’ forehand down the line got Pune the match and reduce the overall deficit.
The women’s singles was expected to be a close tie and that is how it finished. Serbia’s Jankovic started by breaking Radwanska’s serve but failed to consolidate her advantage.
With the weather getting colder, Jankovic looked to be in some degree of discomfort during change of ends. At 5-4, she couldn’t prolong her effort and went down to the Polish girl thereby making it 15-15.
Baghdatis and Saketh Myneni gave the Pune team a slight edge going into the final match after winning in the tiebreak. Delhi’s Kevin Anderson and Sanam had a break of serve but didn’t make it count in the end.
With the score at 20-21, the tie came down to Anderson and Baghdatis. The Cypriot got a crucial break at 5-3 and then closed it out in the end bringing a huge cheer from the crowd and wild celebrations from his team.