Sneha Kotecha defeated South African Laura Van Merwe to register her hat trick in the ITF East Africa Junior Circuit 18 and Under at the Nairobi Cub as Albert Njogu fell to Rostislav Galfinger from Kazakhstan in another three-set thriller in the boys’ final.
Kotecha’s serve especially in the second set almost ruined the morning for the Kenyan, who eventually weathered the storm to win 7-5, 5-7 and 7-5 in the final that took three hours and five minutes.
Njogu might have rallied superbly to break Galfinger’s serve in the second set but it was all in vain for the Kenyan, who went down 3-6, 6-4 and 3-6 in the final that lasted for two hours and 30 minutes.
The second set proved pulsating as Kotecha led 4-0 but some double faults in her game saw Van Der Merwe break her serve to level at 4-4 and 5-5. The South African once again broke Kotecha’s serve to take the lead for the first time in the set 6-5 before serving for victory 7-5.
Then Kotecha would break Van Der Merwe’s serve to win the next point and lead 6-5 before serving to win 7-5.
Kotecha reached the final in a similar event in January, won two ITF East Africa Junior Circuit 18 and Under titles in July before upholding her winning form on Saturday.
Kotecha is now eyeing her fourth victory in the next ITF East Africa Junior Circuit 18 and Under tournament whose main draw starts Monday at the same venue.
Source: Daily Nation