Top seed Aqeel Khan of Pakistan became the first foreigner to win India's national hardcourt tennis title when he defeated second seed Vinod Sridhar in the final of the DSCL Open tennis championships in Delhi on Saturday.
The 24-year-old staged a brilliant comeback after losing the first set and showed a high level of consistency to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 in two hours and 28 minutes.
Marcus Hilpart of Germany had won a national title, but on grass courts, in Dulaijan, Assam, in 1997.
The win fetched Aqeel Rs 100,000 while Sridhar went home richer by Rs 80,000.
Both players started on a confident note, matching each other shot for shot. Sridhar, however, came up with some fine winners to break Aqeel in the ninth game before serving out the set.
Aqeel did not give up as he saved as many as four set points before Vinod could finally hold his serve and take the set.
In the second set as well, both the players looked comfortable with their serves but Aqeel broke Sridhar in the 12th game to take the set and level the set score.
Sridhar, who had to call the trainer twice in the second set, was hampered by a groin injury and lost the next two sets without a fight.
Aqeel was delighted with his triumph. He said it was no less than the ITF Satellite and Futures titles he had won earlier.
He said he was initially troubled by Sridhar, who is a left-hander, since there are not many southpaws to play with in his country, but never felt that the match was out of his hand.
Aqeel also informed that the Pakistan Tennis Federation is likely to invite Indian players for their National Grasscourt Championship, to be held in Lahore.
Meanwhile, in the boys' under-18 final, local boy and second seed Vivek Shokeen defeated top seed Rupesh Roy of Bengal 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 to take the title.
Local lass Sanaa Bhambri also stayed on course for a triple crown after winning the girls' Under-18 title when she beat statement Parul Goswami 7-5, 6-1.
She had earlier won the women doubles' crown along with Isha Lakhani of Maharashtra.
Results:
Men's final: Aqeel Khan (Pakistan) beat Vinod Sridhar (Tamil Nadu) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1.
Boys' under-18 final: Vivek Shokeen (DLI) beat Rupesh Roy (WB) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Girls' under-18 final: Sanaa Bhambri (DLI) beat Parul Goswami (DLI) 7-5, 6-1.
