Oman Tennis: Rafaella Saa reigns supreme at ISC tourney

Sports Tuesday 21/February/2017 18:52 PM
By: Times News Service
Oman Tennis: Rafaella Saa reigns supreme at ISC tourney

Muscat: Rafaella Saa reigned supreme capturing the girls under-18 singles title at the on-going ISC-Muscat Pharmacy Open Junior Tennis Tournament organised by the Indian Social Club (ISC).
In the final, the Equadorian teenager put in a good percentage of first serves and played power-packed drives on both flanks to register a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over Omani player Aisha Al Suleimani.
Rafaella, who could not complete her tournament commitment last year due to sickness, came back with a bang and won the girls under-18 singles title to establish herself among the top players in her age group.
Rafaella and Aisha broke each other’s serves until 2-all before Rafaella held in the fifth game and broke again for a 4-2 lead.
Rafaella broke Aisha again at love to win the first set. Aisha shrugged off a 0-2 deficit in the second set and broke Rafaella in the third game and held for two-all. Rafaella continued to thump her ground strokes and scored freely on both flanks to race to a 5-2 lead.
Aisha saved three match points on her serve to stay in the match. There was no stopping Rafaella who served out the second set to capture the girls under-18 singles crown.
Second seed Sanskar Dubey was scheduled to take on No. 4 seed Muneer Al Rawahi in the final of the boys under-14 singles. Sanskar earned his place in the final after overcoming third seed Vivek Kolluru 7-5, 6-1.
The first set was well-contested until five-all when Sanskar broke Vivek in the eleventh game and served out the first set.
Sanskar dictated terms in the second set and won it comfortably for a place in the final.
Fourth seed Muneer Al Rawahi advanced to the summit clash after an epic semifinal encounter and triumphed to upset top seed Ayaan Malhotra with a 6-4, 6-4 verdict.