The 6-3, 6-2 scoreline suggested just how convincingly fourth seed Karan Rastogi beat unseeded Bulgarian Todor Enev in the semifinal of the ITF Men’s Futures tennis tournament at DLTA on Friday.
The 20-year-old Rastogi dominated the match with his perfectly executed serves and returns, which never didn’t allow Enev any breathing space. Rastogi was broken only once throughout the match — in the second game of the second set.
Enev, who has had a very successful career as a junior — he was world No.2 — appeared weary and rusty as he had played a doubles game in the morning.
For Rastogi, who has been in great touch, grabbing the first set was a stroll in the park. Even though Enev managed to hold on to his serve in the fourth, sixth and eighth games, Rastogi’s accurate returns seemed just too overwhelming for the Bulgarian. The Mumbai boy, who has got a wildcard entry for the Chennai Open, seized the first set 6-3.
For a very short period in the second set, it seemed that Enev might just strike back. He won the first game effortlessly and broke Rastogi’s serve in the very next game to lead 2-0. But Rastogi broke back to dishearten his 24-year-old opponent. Rastogi finished the match off with a brilliant serve. In the other semifinal, unseeded Korean Hyun-Woo Nam upset top seed Alexey Kedriouk of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-1. The top seed was able to hold on to his serve only once with Nam quickly walking away with the second set and the match to set up a title clash with Rastogi.
{{/usCountry}}For a very short period in the second set, it seemed that Enev might just strike back. He won the first game effortlessly and broke Rastogi’s serve in the very next game to lead 2-0. But Rastogi broke back to dishearten his 24-year-old opponent. Rastogi finished the match off with a brilliant serve. In the other semifinal, unseeded Korean Hyun-Woo Nam upset top seed Alexey Kedriouk of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-1. The top seed was able to hold on to his serve only once with Nam quickly walking away with the second set and the match to set up a title clash with Rastogi.
{{/usCountry}}Results
Semifinals: K Rastogi bt T Enev 6-3, 6-2, H Nam bt A Kedriouk 7-5, 6-1.