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Journalism of Courage
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, July 12: India’s Leander Paes advanced to the first ATP singles final of his career here on Saturday, defeating Italy’s Laurence Tieleman 6-3, 6-4, at the Hall of Fame Championships.
Paes will go for a $ 39,000 first prize at the $ 275,000 grass event on Sunday when he faces South Africa’s Neville Godwin who upset top-seeded Australian Jason Stoltenberg 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) in the second semi-final.A service winner up the middle on the first match point sent Paes to the championship match after two earlier semi-final failures here.
“I like playing in Newport,” Paes said. “If I just come out and play my tennis, get into my rhythm, it doesn’t matter what the other guy does. I have been playing my best game.”
Paes shook off an ankle injury to make his run here and subdue Tieleman, who fell to 8-3 on the year with every triumph having come on grass.
“My ankle was a little sore. But it didn’t slow me down at all,” Paes said. “That was the difference, my movement.”
