Bopanna takes top honours

CHENNAI, SEPT. 1. Does experience count in tennis? Not when you face a player like Rohan Bopanna of Karnataka. Nitin Kirtane of Maharasthra would vouch for it and for the first time here the most enduring player in the circuit prayed God to do something to stop Bopanna's serve. It came like an artillery fire and Nitin went down after a good start at 7-5, 1-6, 1-6 in the final of the Besant Nagar Club AITA men's tennis tournament at the Club premises here on Saturday.

When the match ended, Bopanna threw up his racquet and thanked heaven for the great break in his career. He had never won an important title like this before and he had never brought down Nitin in his career either. He felt as if he was virtually winning the National championship honours, though he has been ranked No. 1 in doubles at the National level.

Before this tournament Bopanna thought that it was beyond him as the fifth seed. But he shrugged off that tag the moment he eliminated the favourite Vinod Sridhar and set his eyes on the coveted trophy. But the experienced Nitin's advance to the final, despite some hard battles along the path, perhaps forced him to be on the defensive in the beginning.

The first glimpse of Bopanna's service power was seen in the seventh game of the first set which he won comfortably with two thundering aces. Still Nitin, with excellent placements and sharp returns, managed to make it 5-5 and then the break came for him when Bopanna's forehand ditched him. The Maharashtra man won the 12th game on his serve comfortably.

Till this stage, Nitin was in control and was well set to take the prize money of Rs. 52,000. He even won the first game of the second set and then came Bopanna's blitz. The Bangalore boy was not only unleashing his aces, but also played more winners. Even the backhand that was troubling him for some time came in line and he was firing on all cylinders.

Bopanna found the bounce good for him to play his shots the way he wanted. He did not have problem in holding his serve and broke the rival's with thundering shots. Nitin was shaking his head repeatedly in disbelief saying ``this is not the same guy, this is not the same guy.'' A sort of desperation crept into his game and Nitin stood like a soldier facing heavy artillery fire in the third set. There was nothing he could do when Bopanna fired his aces at 40-15 and hit winners at 30-15 or 40-15. He was ahead most of the time.

Nitin Kirtane and Ajay Ramaswamy of Maharashtra won the doubles title, beating Rohan Bopanna and Vijay Kannan 6-4, 6- 3. In fact, Bopanna and Kannan started well because of Bopanna's strong serve and Kannan's quick finish at the net. But Nitin and Ajay turned the match around with neat placements and sharp returns. They got an early breakthrough and pressed home the advantage.

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