Chennai Open: Adkar, Bhosale break new ground with historic doubles final

Vaishnavi Adkar and Rutuja Bhosale had no idea they were making history when they stepped onto the court in the semi-finals of the Chennai Open. By the time they left, the Maharashtra duo had become the first Indian pair to reach a doubles final at the WTA Tour level.

The Indians battled through injuries, illness and a gutsy challenge from No. 2 seeds Weronika Falkowska and Alana Smith to post a 6-2, 2-6, 10-8 victory Saturday.

For Bhosale, the achievement was particularly special given the physical challenges she faced during the week. The Indian was dealing with a problem with his left hip and also fell ill during the tournament. Having her support system around her, including her husband, made a significant difference.

“It’s an incredible feeling to do it on home soil, to do it with someone I really enjoy playing with, someone I really trust,” Bhosale said.

Little did either player know that they had become the first Indian pair to reach a doubles final at the WTA Tour level.

“We had no idea that we were the first Indian couple. It’s something I will always remember,” Bhosale added.

INDIANS GET ON YOUR NERVES

The semi-finals were far from clear-cut. After taking the opening set comfortably, Adkar and Bhosale lost their rhythm in the second as Falkowska and Smith fought their way back into the contest.

The Indians also found themselves under pressure early in the deciding super tie-break. However, they stuck to their attacking approach to eventually outscore their opponents 10-8.

Adkar revealed that a physical problem affected her energy levels, especially during the second set, making it difficult for the pair to maintain momentum.

“It was a similar problem (as in singles). That’s one of the main reasons why my energy dropped a bit in the second set and we struggled a bit. Even at the beginning in the super tie-break, we started quite slowly,” she said.

The Indians knew they had to remain aggressive rather than allow the pressure of the occasion to influence their approach.

“One of the biggest things for us was to keep hitting our shots. We also reminded ourselves in the super tie-break to just enjoy the moment because it’s very rare that you play a WTA 250 semi-final in front of your home crowd. The atmosphere was just amazing,” Adkar said.

Bhosale admitted that explaining the second set was difficult as they had some close games going against them. However, she was pleased with how the pair responded in the deciding tie-break.

“I knew it was going to be wild. They’re going for all their shots. There were a lot of momentum swings during the tie-break, but we had one agenda today which was to go for all our shots and we really did,” she said.

SPECIAL SHIPPING FOR CHENNAI

The success has added significance as the Chennai Open prepares to bid farewell to the city. Adkar decided to focus on the opportunity, which the pair made the most of.

“I’m really glad we were able to make the most of it and play in the final. That’s how I look at it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bhosale acknowledged the sadness of losing the tournament, which played an important role in her career. When she was 14 years old, she won the junior B1 race at the venue and has enjoyed returning to Chennai over the years.

“It’s been my happy hunting ground since I was 14. I won a junior B1 here and every time I played here I loved the conditions, coming back here, the food. I used to go to the cafe here,” she said.

Reaching the final in the final year of the tournament made the occasion even more meaningful.

“It’s probably a sad part for our country, but for me it’s positive that we made it to the finals during the last edition,” Bhosale said.

The presence and support of family members also made the achievement exceptional, especially considering the demands of traveling on the international circuit.

“These little moments mean so much to us as players. When you travel, they don’t really see it because it’s different and they don’t understand the sport as much. It’s unbelievable that I was able to do it here, in front of my people and my whole team,” she said.

For Adkar and Bhosale, Chennai has already delivered a piece of Indian tennis history. Now they have a chance to check out of town with the title.

– The end