Saketh loses singles semis but wins doubles title with Sanam

Saketh Myneni lost a hard-fought singles semifinal but combined with compatriot Sanam Singh to lift the doubles trophy at the Air ATP Asia Open, here today.
Myneni lost the last-four clash 4-6 4-6 to top seed Spaniard Adrian Menendez-Maceiras.
However with Sanam he won the doubles title with 5-7 6-4 10-2 win over wild card entrants John Paul Fruttero and Vijay Sundar Prashanth.
In the other singles semifinal, second seed James Ward of Great Britain rallied from a set deficit to quell the challenge of unseeded American Daniel Nguyen 4-6 6-4 6-3 to romp into singles final.
The contest between Adrian Menendez-Maceiras and Saketh Myneni began with each player beginning their respective service games with an Ace.

But the Indian looked in visible discomfort and fatigue did show on his person as he was broken in the third game of the opening set.

The Indian had his chance to come back into the game when he held two break points in the 10th game. But he squandered the two chances with weak returns into the net allowing the Spaniard to convert his third advantage.
In the second set, Myneni did show patches of brilliance, but the Spaniard came back stronger when threatened to hold serve. Much against the run of play, Saketh once again faltered and on serve in the ninth game and the Spaniard held three break points, converting the second after the Indian had pumped in an Ace.

In the doubles final, second seeds Saketh and Sanam lost the first set after being broken in the 11th game and the unseeded pair served out for the set. However, Saketh and Sanam raised the level of their games and despite the opponents trading service games early, held sway over their opponents.
With John and Vijay serving to stay in the set, some brilliant returns and volleys by the opposition saw the unseeded pair facing two break points. They saved one, but Saketh and Sanam converted the second to level the match.
The Super-tie-breaker saw the second seeds racing to a 4-1 lead which they kept stretching, allowing John and Vijay just one point more to pocket the winners' cheque of USD 3100.

Losing the first set, the second seed, World No 159 dug into his bag of tricks to swamp the American in the next two sets to take his appointed place.