LAHORE, Aug 22: Fine serves and powerful strokes helped Sakai Toshiaki of Japan win the ITF Satellite Circuit tennis championship (second leg) thrashing Aqeel Khan in a straight set final at Model Town Club courts on Sunday.
Toshiaki, who had been beaten by Aqeel in the event's first leg at Islamabad last week, displayed a much better performance to win 6-4, 7-6 (5) in 85 minutes. Aqeel after losing the first set tried to stage a comeback and stretched Toshiaki to a tie-breaker but he continued missing allowing his rival to win.
Aqeel, who had a bad day, did 10 double faults while the Japanese did not commit even a single. Aqeel hit eight aces as against five by his rival. Aggressive Toshiaki made a fine start when he broke Aqeel's service in the very first game. However, Aqeel replied soon when he broke Toshiaki in the fourth game to restore parity 2-2.
Toshiaki again jolted Aqeel breaking his service in the next game to take 3-2 lead and consolidated it by holding his own for 4-2. From thereon both held their own services which guided Toshiaki to the first set win.
Toshiaki kept pressure on Aqeel, who was committing mistake after mistake and soon the Japanese surged 4-0 ahead. He broke Aqeel's serves in the first and third games. At this stage, it seemed the visitor would be an easy winner, but Aqeel showed his tendency of coming back and regained rhythm and excelled with ground strokes. He broke Toshiaki in the 6th, 8th and finally in the 10th to catch up with him at 5-5.
Toshiaki was on the verge of victory when he started to serve in the 10th game with 5-4 lead, but Aqeel played with great determination and broke Toshiaki in great style (5-0).
After levelling the score 5-5, both the contenders held their serves to play tie-breaker under light drizzle which has started by then. However, both the players showed willingness to continue play.
In the tie-breaker, Aqeel caught up with Toshiaki twice, first at 2-2 from 0-2 before surging ahead 5-3. He could have taken Toshiaki to the third set had he not hit the net twice, allowing the Japanese to make the score 5-5.
Toshiaki went ahead 6-5 with an ace and completed the victory when Aqeel again hit the net. Later, Toshiaki said that he was somewhat nervous when he was on the verge of winning the second set by leading at 5-4.
"Aqeel is a very good player and when I thought I am near beating him I lost my concentration and he took advantage of my fault," Toshiaki said after winning the final.
AQEEL REMARKED: "I did lot of missing and paid the penalty".
The third leg of the ITF championship starts at the same venue from Monday. The men's doubles final between the pair of Aqeel Khan (Pak)-Vijay Kannan (India) and Sakai Toshiaki (Japan)-Mirko Pehar (USA) has been postponed until Monday at 10 am because of rain.
