Balaji claims 1st ITF singles title of 2014 season

India's N Sriram Balaji clinched his first ITF Futures singles title of the season when he scored a comfortable straight sets win over Liang-Chi Huang in the summit clash, here today.
Playing his second final of the season, 377th ranked Balaji overwhelmed his 282nd-ranked and third seed Chinese Taipei rival 6-3 6-2 in the USD 15,000 event.
The fourth seed Indian broke his rival four times in the match while he lost his serve only one time.
It is Balaji's fifth singles title overall, having won two titles last year and two in 2012. The last time he competed in a singles title-clash was in Trichy in March this year.

The 24-year-old player from Tamil Nadu had reached the doubles final yesterday with compatriot VM Ranjeet but they had to be content with a runners-up finish yesterday.