Top-seed Linette keeps her composure to clinch title

Thai pairing of Nicha Lertpitaksinchai,Peangtarn Plipuech raced to a 4-1 lead in the doubles final.

Polands top seed Magda Linette kept her composure to beat Kazakhstans unseeded Kamila Kerimbayeva 7-5,7-6 (7-5) to win the NECC-ITF womens US $ 25,000 event singles title at Deccan Gymkhana on Saturday.

In a hard fought battle between two players hitting big from both flanks,Linette stayed solid when it mattered most.

The Polish players composure showed especially towards the closing stages of both the sets,as she closed out the match to win the top prize of USD 2,940 and 50 WTA ranking points.

After both the players exchanged early breaks,Linette broke the Kazak in the ninth game to go up 5-4. She was unable to hold her serve though,as Kerimbayeva made it 5-5. Linette got another break to go up 6-5,and this time managed to serve out the set with ease.

Kerimbayeva came out all guns blazing in the second set,and raced to a 5-1 lead in no time. Linette,however,started to get her rhythm back,and broke her rival twice in a row to level things up at 5-5.

The top seed then broke Kerimbayeva again in the 11th,but once again failed to serve out the set. She held her nerve though to win the tie-break 7-5,and with it,her fifth ITF USD 25,000 title of the year.

The final lasted for an hour and 39 minutes,and was witnessed by a 250-odd enthusiastic crowd. The runner-up,Kerimbayeva had to settle for $1,666 and 34 WTA ranking points.

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The Thai pairing of Nicha Lertpitaksinchai,Peangtarn Plipuech raced to a 4-1 lead in the doubles final,before the British pair of Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith levelled it to 5-5. The Thai girls got the decisive break in the 12th game to win the set 7-5.

The story of the second set was identical,as the British pair again lost serve in the crucial 12th game,costing them the match eventually.

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