ITF Futures: Sriram Balaji annexes singles title

Chennai: Fifth seed Sriram Balaji beat Joss Espasandin of Switzerland 6-3, 6-4, in the singles final of the MCC-SR Subramaniam Memorial ITF Futures men's tennis tournament, here Saturday.

Balaji broke Joss in the fourth game and stroked well to win the first set 6-3. At the end of the first set, Espasandin needed a medical time out. He seemed to have succumbed to the humid and hot conditions of the last three weeks having played at Trichy, Madurai and now in Chennai.

At the start of the second set, Balaji seemed to have lost his concentration and allowed himself to be broken to give the Swiss s a 2-0 lead. However, the Indian regained his composure to break back and hold serve for 2-2.

Balaji then broke Espasandin in the ninth for 5-4 and then served out the set to clinch the tie and pick up the winner's purse of Rs 65,000 while the Swiss received Rs. 45,000. (IANS)