CHENNAI — Fifth seed Om Patel and top seed Deepshika Vinayagamurthy clinched the boys’ and girls’ singles titles respectively at the UNIFI-ITF Junior Tennis Cup 2026, delivering stellar final performances at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Nungambakkam.
While Patel had to dig deep in a gripping three-set comeback to capture the boys’ crown, Deepshika continued her dominant form to secure back-to-back triumphs following her Junior National Championship victory last week.
Boys’ Singles: Patel Stages Resilient Comeback Over Verma
In a high-octane boys’ singles final that lasted nearly two hours, fifth seed Om Patel overcame a sluggish opening set to defeat third seed Om Verma 1-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Both finalists exhibited top-tier shot-making, matching each other in court coverage and variety with delicate drop shots, precise lobs, sharp volleys, and heavy baseline groundstrokes.
- First Set: Verma seized early momentum, stringing together six consecutive games with consistent depth and clean ball-striking to wrap up the opener 6-1.
- Second Set: Patel elevated his intensity and stabilized his service games. He struck the decisive blow in the eighth game, earning a crucial break of serve before serving out the set 6-3.
- Deciding Set: Riding high on momentum, Patel dominated the final set from the baseline, breaking Verma in the fourth and sixth games to seal the championship 6-1.
Girls’ Singles: In-Form Deepshika Cruises to Victory
In the girls’ singles final, top seed Deepshika Vinayagamurthy reaffirmed her status as one of the country’s most promising junior prospects with a composed 6-4, 6-3 victory over eighth seed Savitha Bhuvaneswaran.
- First Set: Both players went toe-to-toe in the early stages, holding serve comfortably up to 4-4. Deepshika broke Savitha’s serve in a tense ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and served out the set 6-4.
- Second Set: Deepshika surged to a commanding 4-1 lead before Savitha mounted a spirited fightback, breaking in the seventh game. However, Deepshika quickly regained composure, breaking back immediately and closing out the contest 6-3.
Final Results
- Boys’ Singles Final:[5] Om Patel (IND) def. [3] Om Verma (IND) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
- Girls’ Singles Final:[1] Deepshika Vinayagamurthy (IND) def. [8] Savitha Bhuvaneswaran (IND) 6-4, 6-3