Chandigarh: For 26-year-old Paramveer Bajwa, it was a week of redemption. The coach at Roundglass Tennis Academy (RGTA) last played an AITA men’s tournament five years ago, just before he hung up his racquet, tired of struggling on the international men’s ITF circuit sans any sponsor support.
After romping through the qualifiers of the CLTA-AITA National Ranking Tennis Championships without dropping a game, on Friday he claimed his first winner’s trophy after a long hiatus. He prevailed 6-3, 6-3 against 16-year-old Arjun Rathi in the men’s singles final. He refused to concede a set in his five matches to the trophy.
The interesting bit? Bajwa mentors and trains with Rathi, who is a fully sponsored Roundglass athlete, at the academy’s six-court facility at Chandigarh Club. For them, it was just an extension of practice, albeit with a Rs 12,500 winner’s purse and 20 national ranking points on the line. Though he lost the final, Rathi showed a glimpse of his potential as he prevailed 7-6, 1-1 (conceded) against former national champion Dalwinder Singh in the quarters.
The One Lakh prize money men’s and women’s tournament was totally dominated by players from RGTA. Bajwa also claimed the doubles crown with another of his wards, Aditya Mor. The unseeded duo beat the top seeded pair of Atharva Sharma & Jagmeet Singh 7-6 (6), 7-5.
Then, Anjali Rathi, sister of Arjun, and an RGTA athlete eased her way to the women’s crown with an effortless 6-0, 6-3 win over Ishwari Anant Matere. Both siblings played finals on adjacent courts at the CLTA stadium, a rare occurrence in tournaments across the globe.
Anjali too figured in the women’s doubles final alongside her fellow RGTA trainee Mrinalini Sharma, though she had to be content with the runner’s up spot there.
Results:
Men’s Singles final: Paramveer Bajwa bt Arjun Rathi 6-3, 6-3
Women’s singles final: Anjali Rathi bt Ishwari Matere 6-0, 6-3
Men’s doubles: Paramveer Bajwa & Aditya Mor bt Atharva Sharma & Jagmeet Singh 7-6 (6), 7-5
Women’s doubles final: Ishwari Matere & Ruma Gaikaiwadi bt Anjali Rathi & Mrinalini Sharma 6-2, 6-3
