Pune seals first ever Champions Tennis League title with win over Delhi

NEW DELHI: Cyprus star Marcos Baghdatis subdued world number 16 Kevin Anderson in the crucial men's singles as Pune Marathas lifted the inaugural Champions Tennis League (CTL) trophy with a 27-23 victory over Delhi Dreams in the final, here tonight.

Anderson served big but Baghdatis used all his experience to nail a 6-3 win in the final match. The 2006 Australian Open finalist hit a forehand winner on the first match point to seal the championship for his side.

Delhi lost four matches of the five with only Juan Carlos Ferrero winning the legends singles against Pat Cash but the hosts fought tooth and nail in all their defeats and had the rivals under pressure all the time.

With three wins in a row, Pune carried into the final match a narrow one-point advantage as they led 21-20. Anderson had the opportunity to even out the lead when he had a break point in the very first game of the final match but Baghdatis saved that.

The Cyprus star, the 2006 Australian Open finalist, handed the South African two break points when he netted a backhand slice. Baghdatis saved the first but his forehand went over the lines on the second, much to the delight of the home team.

However, that joy was short-lived for Delhi as Anderson dropped his serve in the next game when his single-handed backhand kissed the net. It was 2-2. Baghdatis again broke the South African in the eighth and served out the match.

Earlier, Pat Cash was at his entertaining best in a 3-6 defeat against Juan Carlos Ferrero. The 49-year-old threw his bandana in the stands and later went and sat in the rival camp during the game break. The 1987 Wimbledon champion, egged on by a few fans who traveled from Pune to the capital, lost but he did a good job by giving three points to his side.