Tennis: Dutchman Hemmes takes Futures title at Ramat Hasharon

Defeats Russia's Mikhail Elgin in straight sets to win the final of the $10,000 tournament.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
hemmes 88 (photo credit: )
hemmes 88
(photo credit: )
Sixth seed Fred Hemmes of the Netherlands defeated Russia's Mikhail Elgin in straight sets to win the final of the $10,000 ITF Futures tournament at Ramat Hasharon on Saturday. An unsuccessful finalist in last week's tournament, Hemmes, ranked 476, lost to Vjekoslav Skenderovic of Croatia. His opponent this week, Mikhail Elgin (692), arrived in Saturday's final full of confidence after his win in the mens doubles final on Friday with partner Daniel King-Turner of New Zealand. The first set saw each player break serve before Hemmes gained the upper hand breaking serve once again. He comfortably took seven consecutive games claiming the first set 6-3 and finding himself with a 3-0 lead in the second. Elgin managed to find his way back into the set drawing level at 3-3, playing several acute passing shots that Hemmes could only watch fly past him. Yet he never quite equaled Hemmes again who went on to win the second set 6-4. Speaking after the match Hemmes said: "I played well all week but not so well today and the conditions were tough because of the wind. I was a bit more consistent than him [Elgin]. He has played more games than me this week because of the doubles and maybe was tired." The next Futures tournaments to be held in Israel are scheduled to take place in March 2007, a month after Israel's first round Davis Cup tie against Luxembourg beginning February 9.