CTL 2015: Punjab Marshalls blow away Mumbai Tennis Masters to maintain unbeaten record

Marcos Baghdatis anchored a facile Punjab Marshalls win on Saturday night

In one of the most dominating performances of the 2015 Champions Tennis League, the Punjab Marshalls beat the Mumbai Tennis Masters 24-13 at the CLTA Tennis Stadium in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Barring one set, the Marshalls clinched the remainder of the four sets to further bolster their lead at the top of the table.

Here’s a round-up of all the five sets:

1. Legends’ singles: Greg Rusedski vs Richard Krajicek

The opening set saw both players win each of the first two service games before Rusedski broke the Krajicek serve in the 5th game to go 3-2 up. But the Dutchman hit back immediately to break his opponent’s serve in the very next game and bring the score to 3-3.

Rusedski would not be denied for long, however, as he attained his second straight break before closing out the set 5-3 to give his side the early lead.

Result: Rusedski def. Krajicek 5-3

2. Women’s singles: Flavia Pennetta vs Elina Svitolina

Svitolina started off in fine fashion in the second set of the day, earning an early break of serve to go 2-0 up. But the 2015 US Open champion fought back very well to earn her opening break in the next game to halve the deficit.

The Italian couldn’t sustain her momentum for long though as Svitolina got her second break of serve in the very next game and then backed that up with a fine service game to go 4-1 up. Although Pennetta delayed the inevitable by holding serve in the game, Svitolina sealed the set in the seventh game to give her side a 2-0 set lead.

Result: Svitolina def. Pennetta 5-2

3. Mixed doubles: Baghdatis/Svitolina vs Giraldo/Pennetta

The Punjab Marshalls carried their momentum forward in the mixed doubles set, as Baghdatis and Svitolina broke the pair of Giraldo and Pennetta in the second game to take a 2-0 lead.

They further dominated proceedings and in the 4th game, broke serve once again to lead 4-0.The pair of Giraldo and Pennetta had a chance of avoiding the bagel but squandered three break points to eventually lose 5-0 and thereby produce the first bagel of the 2015 CTL.

Result: Baghdatis/Svitolina def. Giraldo/Pennetta 5-0

4. Men’s doubles: Baghdatis/Myneni vs Giraldo/Balaji

Baghdatis continued his searing run of form that’s been on display all tournament, as he and Saketh Myneni broke the pair of Giraldo and Balaji in the second game. The Ind0-Cypriot pair then put in an assertive service game of their own to go 3-0 up.

They further strengthened their position by holding again and going 4-1 up, but the Mumbai Tennis Masters pair refused to throw in the towel. Giraldo and Balaji clinched two straight games, including a break of serve in the seventh game, to bring the score to 3-4.

The Indo-Colombian pair then levelled the scores by holding serve, thus taking the set into an unexpected tie-breaker. Giraldo and Balaji handled the pressure of the shootout better than their opponents, and soon the Mumbai Tennis Masters had clinched their first set of the evening.

Result: Giraldo/Balaji def. Baghdatis/Myneni 5-4

5. Men’s singles: Marcos Baghdatis vs Santiago Giraldo

In the men’s Singles set, it was Baghdatis who was the first to get the break of serve, right in the opening game. But Giraldo got right back at his opponent by breaking in his first return game too, making the score 1-1.

The Spaniard then took the lead by holding serve to make it 2-1, but the Cypriot restored balance into the proceedings by clinching the fourth game and levelling the score at 2-2.

The cat-and-mouse game continued as Giraldo again took the lead to make it 3-2 in his team’s favour before Baghdatis tied the set once again at 3-3. The vital moment in the match arrived in the seventh game when Baghdatis broke the Giraldo serve for the second time in the set to lead 4-3.

Baghdatis then closed the set soon after to hand his side a commanding win over the Mumbai Tennis Masters.

Result: Baghdatis def. Giraldo 5-3