Saketh Myneni quelled the challenge from local lad Vijayant Malik 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the Raheja $15,000 ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament here on Saturday.
It was the fifth title in the Futures circuit for Myneni, and he said that he was looking forward to improving his game and play the Challengers soon. Malik, a product of the rural scheme and looking for his second title at this level, tried hard to stay in the rallies with the support of the vociferous local youngsters.
However, he could not keep pace as Myneni was clearly two notches above him with his energetic all-round game.
With a strong build and a matching game, the 25-year-old Myneni dictated the flow of the contest throughout. “He was returning very well and I was a bit rusty”, said Myneni who got broken in the second and fourth games of the first set, after he had broken Malik’s serve in the first game.
“I took time to get into the rhythm as I had played my earlier matches on the outside courts. The pace was different on the centre court’’, analysed Myneni.
“I am not yet happy with my game. I still need to work on a lot of points, to get to the next level”, said Myneni.
