Ashutosh wins title, no such luck for Sunitha Rao

Newly crowned DSCL Open National Champion Ashutosh Singh and runner-up Prajnesh Gunneswaran have been granted wildcards for the main draw of Challenger tournaments to be held in Delhi from next month.

Second seed Singh had beaten the 17-year-old Gunneswaran 6-4, 7-6(4) in the Nationals final in New Delhi on Friday.

Gunneswaran didn't go home empty-handed though. The giant-killer beat Vijayant Malik 6-3, 6-2 in the boys singles final.

In the women's event, title favourite Isha Lakhani swept past second seed Rushmi Chakravarthi 6-4, 6-1 to win her third straight Nationals.

DSCL OPEN NATIONALS - FINALS

MEN

(2) Ashutosh Singh beat Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4,7-6(4)

WOMEN

(1) Isha Lakhani beat (2) Rushmi Chakravarthi 6-3,6-1

UNDER 18 BOYS

(2) Prajnesh Gunneswaran beat (1) Vijayant Malik 6-3,6-2

Meanwhile, there was bad news in store for fans of Sunitha Rao. The Florida-based player was ousted in the second round of the USTA Tennis Classic at Troy, Alabama by her 296-ranked nemesis Alexa Glatch.

The 18-year-old American carved out a hardfought 7-6(4),7-6(3) victory over seventh-seeded Rao. It was Glatch's third straight win over Rao, having also beaten her in 2004 and in the final of the $25,000 Southlake, Texas tournament in July this year.

In the doubles quarterfinals, Rao and her Australian partner Christina Wheeler(AUS) lost 6-4,6-7(4),8-10 to the American pair of Angela Haynes and Mashona Washington.