Harsh Mankad wins ITF Futures title

India Davis Cupper Harsh Mankad beat unseeded Jasper Smit of The Netherlands 7-6(7-0), 6-3 to win the singles title in the $10,000 MSLTA-ITF Futures tennis tournament at the Dr Ranade Centre in Mumbai on Saturday.

Mankad, playing a solid baseline game, overpowered the lanky Smit, who found it hard to get into a rhythm, in one hour and 37 minutes.

The players started off cautiously and games went with serve in the first set. However, the hard-hitting Mankad proved too good in the tie-break. He served hard and deep to catch his opponent on the wrong foot often.

After taking the first set, the Indian surprisingly dropped serve in the very first game of the

second set and trailed 1-2. But with a couple of passing shots he managed to break back in the fourth game to level the scores at 2-all.

Mankad, who served six aces and committed a single double-fault, got the crucial break in the sixth game to lead for the first time in the set and then served out the set and match at 6-3.

Mankad pocketed $1300 and 12 ATP points while Smit had to be content with $900.

Top seeds in the doubles, Mustafa Ghouse of India and Aisam Qureshi of Pakistan pipped second seeds Ajay Ramaswami and Sunil Kumar Sipaeya of India 7-6(8-6), 2-6, 7-5 in an hour

And 45 minutes to win the doubles title last night.

Ghouse and his partner won $630 and 12 ATP points while the Indian pair had to be content win 330 dollars and eight points.

Results (all finals):

Singles: Harsh Mankad (Ind) bt Jasper Smit (Ned) 7-6(7-0), 6-3.

Doubles: Mustafa Ghouse (Ind) / Aisam Qureshi (Pak) bt Ajay Ramaswami/ Sunil Kumar Sipaeya (Ind) 7-6(8-6), 2-6, 7-5.

Photograph: Deepak Salvi