National Games: Ratnika, Rastogi clinch tennis singles titles
By IANSWednesday, February 23, 2011
RANCHI - Delhi’s Ratnika Batra and Maharashtra’s Karan Rastogi won the gold medal in women’s and men’s singles tennis in the 34th National Games here Wednesday.
Delhi’s Ratnika upset women’s top seed Zainab Ali Sajjad of Andhra Pradesh 6-3, 6-2. Zainab felt some discomfort in her right arm and struggled with her service. She took medical time out in the second set but by that time she was already out of the race. A confident Ratnika swiftly sealed the set and the match.
The bronze medal went to Delhi’s Prerna Bhambri and Maharashtra’s Nupur Kaul.
In the men’s final, top seeded Karan Rastogi of Maharashtra dispatched second seeded Mithun Murali of Tamil Nadu 6-3, 6-2.
Rastogi, who is also member of the Indian Davis Cup team, exhibited a wide range of shots. He did not lose his serve even once and broke Mithun’s service twice in each set. Delhi’s Vivek Shokeen and Ashutosh Singh got the bronze medals.
