ITF J300: India's Maaya annexes singles title, Hwang emerges boys champion

New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) India's Maaya Rajeshwaran capped an impressive week in a befitting manner, emerging the girls' singles champion at the ITF J300 event while Korean player Donghyon Hwang grabbed the boys' singles title at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex here on Saturday.
 

The 15-year-old Maaya, thus, won her first singles title since December 2023 by edging past Ekaterina Tupitsyna 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the intense final.

Tupitsyna began with a bang, putting the home favourite on the backfoot. However, the Indian showed tremendous grit and effected a turnaround to force a decider. Tupitsyna probably lacked the energy to fight in the final as she ran out of steam while Maaya ran away with the contest, building on the momentum.

Maaya had won a title in December 2023 when she triumphed in Pune in a J100 event. Since then making the semifinal in Durban in September 2024 was her best show as she struggled in the first half of the season.

"I had beaten her 4-5 months ago but I was not at my 100 percent today. I almost lost the second set, I had to focus and take risk, I am glad I pulled it off," Maaya said after her match.

In the semifinal clash on Friday, Maaya eked out a 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2 win against second seed Eleejah Inisan from France to set up the title clash with Ekaterina Tupitsyna.

Maaya has been in red-hot form which she utilised to knock out Inisan in the fiercely fought girls' singles semifinal at DLTA Complex. Passing the test of nerves with flying colours, the 15-year-old Maaya eked out a fighting win to set up the title clash.

In complete contrast Hwang was dominant in the singles final, winning 6-1 6-1 over unseeded American of Indian origin Roshan Santhosh, who was surprisingly subdued in the match that mattered.

India's hopes in the boys' singles were over when top seed Senthil Kumar's impressive run ended with a semifinal defeat on Friday. Senhtil has been in a superb touch but his run was finally stalled by Korean fourth seed Donghyun Hwang, who came out winner with a 6-4 6-1 scoreline. Once Senthil lost the opening set, the Korean raced away to the finish line with a double break.

--IANS

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