The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Ren downs Ji for title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 25, 2006

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Ren downs Ji for title

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Fourth-seeded Ren Jing of China won her maiden title as she beat compatriot Ji Chun-Mei 6-0, 6-7(3), 6-4 in the final of the Jubilant Organosys $10,000 ITF women's tennis tournament here on Saturday.

In a nerve-wracking contest that lasted just over two hours, the 18-year-old Ren called the shots initially as she led 6-0, 5-2. However, Ren was unable to close out the match on her serve in the eighth game or in the subsequent games, as the seventh-seeded Ji bounced back in style to make it an entertaining affair.

Eventually, Ren saved three breakpoints in the ninth game of the decider after the two had exchanged a clutch of breaks, and that proved decisive. Ji was uncharacteristically erratic in the next game and could not win more than one point on her serve.

The 20-year-old Ji had perhaps enjoyed a psychological advantage as she had beaten Ren in straight sets in the first round of the tournament last week. Moreover, Ren's nervous approach was understandable, as she had not crossed the quarterfinals in singles on the professional circuit.

It was the third singles title in four tournaments for the Chinese at the same venue over the last few weeks. The winner collected six WTA points and the runner-up four.

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