New Zealand Davis Cup squad member Ajeet Rai has claimed dual titles in Wellington.
Rai won the men's singles and doubles titles at the World Tennis Tour stop in the Capital last week, beat Australian qualifier Tai Sach 6-4 6-2 in the singles final at the Renouf Tennis Centre on Sunday.
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It was Rai’s third title in a week, after winning the doubles title on Friday, and the Wellington Open doubles title the previous weekend, both alongside Kiwi Isaac Becroft.
Despite a fairly straightforward scoreline, the first set against Sach was a tight battle. Remaining on serve for over half-an-hour, once Rai broke for a 4-2 lead, both players traded breaks of serve until it was back on serve at 5-4. Rai then broke to love to put the first set away after 56 minutes.
Rai ran away with the second set, going up 4-0 in less than 20 minutes. Despite a spirited comeback attempt by Sach, breaking Rai as he served for the title, Sach could not consolidate as Rai broke to love again, wrapping up the match in 1 hour 25 minutes.
Rai’s run to the title was fairly straightforward, with all matches won in straight sets, except for a scare in the second round from Australian Casey Hoole, forcing Rai into a third set tiebreak for the match.
The title adds to Rai’s 2024 trophy tally, after winning two M25 level doubles tournaments in China, and one in Australia.
Having won a trophy at both Tennis NZ Summer Series events so far, Rai will like his chances at this week's The Eves Open in Tauranga, and then the Te Anau Invitational, scheduled for just after Christmas. The winner there will receive a wild card into the main draw at the ASB Classic.
Second-seeded Rai and Becroft also got the better of Sach, partnering Kiwi Anton Shepp 6-1 6-3 in the men's doubles final.
The pair proved too strong, taking just 47 minutes to clinch the title. Rai had already been on court earlier in the day, winning his singles semifinal against Australian Moerani Bouzige 6-2 6-4.
The tournament, held at the Renouf Tennis Centre in Wellington, is a professional tennis event at the ITF 15 level, offering $15,000 in prize money for both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
New Zealand's Monique Barry also won the women's doubles title in Wellington, as she and Dutch partner Merel Hoedt made fairly light work of the second-seeded Japanese paring Shiho Akita and Nanari Katsumi 6-3, 6-3.
It was Barry's second ITF 15 level doubles title this year, after winning a title in Thailand earlier in the year.
Barry and Hoedt were in control throughout both sets, breaking early and keeping the pressure on throughout. They fought off a break point while serving for the match, and got the job done in an hour and 12 minutes.
The Kiwi-Dutch pairing were impressive all week, who not only not dropped a set en route to the title, but did not concede more than four games in a set all tournament.