Badrinath completes another triple title
… ‘I feel on top of the world’
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
July 5, 2004
SHAWN Badrinath followed up his Barbados Open triple title with another triple, when he again turned back Robert Fernandes to capture the National Men’s title a third consecutive time, while Kathy Shuffler was crowned the new Ladies’ queen for the first time after three tries.
In the final at Georgetown Club, yesterday, Badrinath disposed of Fernandes in straight games 9-6, 9-4, 9-5, while Shuffler humbled her niece Andrea King, also with straight games 9-5, 9-1, 9-2.
Badrinath told Chronicle Sport: “I feel on top of the world - three titles in Barbados, three titles here. I just got to keep it up. I’m ready for the Jamaica Open.”
But Fernandes controlled the opening game up to halfway and Badrinath said he was making some unforced errors.
“He was rallying with me and forced me to make the mistake as I went for the winners. Then I hung in with him and he made the mistakes.
But I was not worried. I just had to hang in, keep cool, calm, keeping focused all the time. He was moving me around for me to make mistakes. I just stayed with him. It was a good win for me.”
Fernandes told Chronicle Sport that he was disappointed because he was not able to stick to his game plan.
“I had to keep the game tight and wait for him to make the mistakes. You can’t beat him shot for shot. But as I started to tire, my shots weren’t as tight as before.”
Badrinath had the first service, lost it, and after controlling some long rallies, Fernandes raced to four points, losing the service once. He lost the service twice, before adding two more points.
Then Badrinath controlled the run of play, got two points, lost the service then moved to five points. He then lost the service twice, before racing on to close the game 9-5.
Again in the second game, Badrinath lost his opening service and Fernandes registered three points. Badrinath put in one, and Fernandes another, which turned out to his last.
After breaking Fernandes’ service twice, Badrinath added two more points, lost the service once at 3-4 then raced to the close again, this time 9-4.
Badrinath was now in full flow and raced to six points, before Fernandes registered three straight. Fernandes lost the service then added two more, which turned out to be his last. Badrinath then scored his three points to win the game 9-5 and take the title without losing the service again.
Shuffler easily disposed of King, forcing play onto her backhand and King invariably conceded the point. It was Shuffler’s third straight final, losing the two previous times to Denise Jeffrey who opted out of the championships, still nursing a back injury.
The Men’s third place went to Damien Da Silva, who outstayed former two-time champion Regan Pollard 7-9, 9-1, 9-1, 0-9, 9-0.
Da Silva went down to Fernandes in the semifinals Saturday night 9-2, 9-3, 9-7, while Pollard succumbed to Badrinath 9-0, 9-6, 9-3.
The Ladies’ third place was taken by Kristina King, who beat Tiffany Solomon in the play-off 9-2, 9-2, 9-1. In the semifinals, Shuffler beat Kristina 7-9, 9-0, 9-0, 9-2 while Andrea King defeated Solomon 9-5, 9-0, 9-7.
Ryan Farnum defeated Peter Michael De Groot to take the Men’s Plate trophy.