GROUP B TABLE TOPPERS Nagpur Orangers will take on a languishing V Chennai Warriors in their third match of the Champions Tennis League (CTL) in Nagpur, today.
The Orangers are sitting pretty at the top with 4 points and (46 games won) and another successful tie in the evening will see them almost through to the finals.
On the other hand, Warriors might have won more games (54) than their opponents but have nothing to show in their total tally of points and are out of the contention for the finals. That said, team Chennai will come out swinging in their match this evening and that could upset Orangers’ plans a bit.
Once again, the Warriors will rely heavily on the firepower of Fernando Verdasco and would be hoping to finish their CTL campaign on a winning note. Meanwhile, the hosts will be looking to seal another win to get even closer to their finals spot. TFG analyses the game between Orangers and Warriors and picks the winner.
LEGENDS
In their previous encounter a few days back, it was Nagpur’s captain Alex Corretja, who won the set against Chennai’s Rainer Schuettler. The German has struggled in the tournament and has won only one set so far in the legends category. That said, with nothing to lose, Chennai’s skipper might play with more freedom and try to finish off on a high, but his counterpart will realize the situation and should hold his ground to scrape through in a tight set.
Winner: Corretja
WOMEN’S SINGLES
Nagpur’s Jelena Jankovic and Chennai’s Heather Watson will continue to engage in some intriguing, long rallies from the baseline. Expect some intense hitting from both women but regular service breaks shouldn’t come as a surprise. In their previous encounter, the Serb got the better of the Brit in a tight set and will continue to be more consistent and solid to eke out another crucial win for the evening.
Winner: Jankovic
MIXED DOUBLES
Nagpur’s pair of Jankovic/Feliciano Lopez have played some wonderful tennis in this category. Both players have shown great skills and coordination at the net. The duo will enter the set against Watson/Fernando Versdasco as the favourites to win and since the Jankovic/Lopez have already beaten the Chennai pairing in the league, Nagpur can expect another crucial win from this set.
Winners: Jankovic/Lopez
MEN’S DOUBLES
In this category too, Lopez and India’s Davis Cup player Divij Sharan have been almost flawless. Both players have proven credentials in this event and although the pair lost their clash against Verdasco/ V Vardhan, it shouldn’t worry them much. Given the situation, expect the Nagpur team to put up another clinical performance in the fourth set. On the other side of the net, Vardhan’s erratic game might once again prove to be Chennai’s downfall.
WINNERS: Lopez/Sharan
MEN’S SINGLES
Lopez and Verdasco played out a classic a few days back and it was arguably the best men’s singles match of this year’s CTL. The Spaniards might be great friends off the court, but there shouldn’t be any love lost between the two, once the first point starts. While Verdasco will continue to serve big and go for broke off both flanks, Lopez will use all his artistry to upset the rhythm of his compatriot. Another potential thriller awaits us.
Winner: Lopez
The two teams might produce another nail biting, thriller. However, going by the current form and what lies ahead, there is little to suggest that the V Chennai Warriors will sign off their CTL campaign on a high. Meanwhile, the Nagpur Orangers will have their eyes set on qualifying for the finals and should come out trumps today without much drama.