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World Tour Finals
The draw was not particularly kind, although this is the toughest field of skilled indoor players there's ever been so it wasn't going to be easy either way. All three Sri Lanka players were in the first group with Kinczllers. Iglar, Caratti, and the two French entrants were in the second group.
Prakash Mooljee managed only a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Mugur Kinczllers, who did not win a set in his third round-robin exit in as many appearances. Mehul surprisingly beat Girsh in their match, as that pair moved on from the first group. In the second, Iglar won all three of his matches, losing only one set to Davide Poilblan. Poilblan's 7-6(0), 6-7(1), 7-5 win over Bourdet gave him the semi spot over his countryman with a pair of quite anticlimactic tiebreaks. Caratti, a semifinalist last year, found it more difficult this time around and was winless.
Anil Mehul took on Poilblan in the first semifinal, and the debuting Frenchman continued his strong play by pulling off a steady 6-4, 6-4 upset. Girish Girsh[ and Antonin Iglar then staged a match which had two excellent sets sandwiching a snoozer ... Girsh won both of the close ones, including a 7-5 tiebreak in the decider. He then obliterated Poilblan in the most one-sided final I can remember, 6-0, 6-2, losing just nine points on serve. It's the first tour finals victory for Girsh, capping a dominant season. Poilblan will move up to 6th, and finally makes good on his potential to outplay his thus-far more successful compatriot Bourdet.
Coming Up ...
After a week off, Italy awaits in the World Team Cup Final.
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