Sriram Balaji wins Challenger title with Jonathan Erlich

Sriram Balaji, seeded third with Jonathan Erlich of Israel, outplayed fourth seeds Sander Arends and Tristan-Amuel Weissborn 6-3, 6-2 in the doubles final of the $162,480 Challenger in Chinese Taipei.

The champion team collected 125 ATP points and $9,300. The runners-up won 75 points and $5,400.

It was the first title of the season for Balaji, who was partnering the former world No.5 Erlich for the first time. The 42-year-old Erlich had won the Challenger in Australia last year with Divij Sharan. Erlich had won the Australian Open doubles trophy in 2008 with his long-time partner Andy Ram.

‘’We saw each other during the Bangkok Challenger few weeks ago. Balu sir (Coach M. Balachandran) was travelling with me. He finalised our partnership’’, said Balaji, who is scheduled to play three more weeks with Erlich in Korea.

‘’Next two weeks I am playing with (Jamie) Cerretani in China, as Erlich doesn’t want to play on clay’’, said Balaji.

It was the sixth Challenger title for Balaji, who had won his other five with Vishnu Vardhan over the last two years.

In the $60,000 ITF women's event in Istanbul, top seed Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia proved too strong for Ankita Raina as she sailed to the trophy with a 6-4, 6-0 victory in the final.

The results:

$162,480 Challenger, Chinese Taipei
Doubles (final): Jonathan Erlich (ISR) & Sriram Balaji bt Sander Arends (NED) & Tristan-Samuel Weissborn (AUT) 6-3, 6-2.

$60,000 ITF women, Istanbul, Turkey
Singles (final): Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) bt Ankita Raina 6-4, 6-0.

(Courtesy: The Hindu)