Pune: The NECC $40K ITF women’s singles final at Deccan Gymkhana in Pune witnessed a stunning display of skill and dominance as Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima claimed victory over Australia’s Tina Nadine Smith. The third-seeded Japanese, who previously triumphed in Pune in December 2021, secured her second title at the venue and her third in India.
In a match that was anticipated to be a closely contested battle, Uchijima’s brilliance made it a one-sided affair, defeating Smith 6-4, 6-0. This victory comes on the heels of Uchijima’s success in Navi Mumbai last month.
After the match, the 22-year-old Japanese player expressed her satisfaction, stating, “In Pune, my winning streak is still going on. I am just improving match by match. I served really well. She is a great mover (on court), runs really well. So I tried to be patient and aggressive. I played the right way today.”
Uchijima’s coach, Tim Nichols, attributed her success to the faster playing conditions at Deccan Gymkhana, emphasizing her comfort with the venue’s courts. Despite Uchijima losing a tough three-setter in the quarterfinals in Bengaluru last week, she showcased her prowess on the hard courts of Pune.
For Nadine Smith, it was her first final at this level, and although the scoreline might not fully reflect her capabilities, the 21-year-old displayed remarkable speed and court coverage. Nadine Smith, who trains in Switzerland, acknowledged Uchijima’s outstanding performance and graciously accepted defeat, saying, “She just played an amazing match honestly. I tried my best out there, just wasn’t meant to be today. That’s okay.”
Uchijima, stretched to three sets in the opening round, progressively improved throughout the tournament. Coach Nichols explained their strategy against Nadine Smith, stating, “Mainly we knew she (Nadine Smith) is strong on her backhand, and she defends really well on the backhand. So we started down the middle and run her from there. And Moyuka did a very good job of setting up the points.”
