Nedunchezhiya, Bhambri emerge Nat tennis champions

Prerna Bhambri held off a stiff challenge from top seed Rishika Sunkara to win the women's singles title, while Jeevan Nedunchezhiya lifted the men's crown at the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championships on Saturday.

Bhambri looked off-colour as she failed to hold her serve until the third game of the second set. However, the second seed picked her game right in time and took command to lead 2-6, 7-6, 4-1 before Sunkara retired and conceded the match.

In the men's singles, Nedunchezhiya outplayed Arjun Khade, who was on a roll after his quarter-final and semi-final victories, 7-6(4), 6-1.

Nedunchezhiya was stretched to the tie-breaker in the first set, but the top seed held his nerve to take the lead, heading to the next.

"It's a great feeling for me to win the national title. This tournament has produced many greats and I'll carry this confidence into the tournaments that I play next," said the champion after his win.

The winner of the men's singles took home Rs 150,000 while the runner-up got Rs 100,000.

In the boys' under-18 singles top seed Rishabh Aggarwal beat third seed Karan Salwan 6-1, 6-2.

The girls' singles title went to Pranjala Yadlapalli, who beat Tarannum Handa 6-7(8), 6-0, 7-5.

Tennis ace Sania Mirza was the chief guest and gave away the prizes