Indian cops singles title

MANILA, Philippines - Eighth seed Karunaday Singh of India outlasted third pick Shuichi Sekuguchi of Japan, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, to clinch the singles crown in the $15,000 Olivarez Cup-Philippine International Men’s Tennis Championships at the Rizal Tennis Center yesterday.

Singh earlier teamed up with Ivo Klec of Slovakia and shocked the top-seeded pair of Fil-Am Ruben Gonzales and Thai Sonchat Ratiwatana to snare the doubles crown.

“It was a pretty even match,” said the 23-year-old Singh moments after receiving the trophy from Philta vice president Randy Villanueva, who represented Philta president and Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez.

“I just played more aggressive in the end and it really helped me get this,” he added.

Karunaday bucked the inroads of fatigue as he endured a whopping 17 sets, including four tiebreaks and a couple of super tiebreakers in the last three days he alternated his singles and doubles matches.

After a relatively easy first two days, Singh struggled past No. 2 Chen Ti of Chinese Taipei, 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(5), in the quarterfinals, turned back Filipino PJ Tierro, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, in the semis before outdueling Sekuguchi for the crown.

During this stretch, Singh was winning doubles matches with Klec, as they stunned back No. 2 Benjamin Mitchell and Andrew Whittington of Australia, 7-6(1), 2-6, 10-2, in the quarters, upended No. 3 Chen Ti of Taipei and Christopher Rungkat of Indonesia, 6-3, 7-6(4), in the Final Four then humbled No. 1 Gonzales and Ratiwatana, 6-4, 3-6, 10-8, for the crown.