Ahmedabad: Top seed Vaidehee Chaudhari used her experience to outclass her opponent Shruti Ahlawat and clinch the women’s singles title at the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi on Saturday.Vaidehee, who also claimed the titles in 2022 and 2024, defeated the 20-year-old 6-4, 7-5 in a closely contested final that spanned two hours and 15 minutes.“I feel proud. This is my third title. So, definitely, I’m very happy right now. I worked hard throughout the week,” Chaudhari said after the win.“The first set I was 5-3 up and she kept fighting. Even in the second set, I was 5-3 up and she kept fighting till the end. It was a great and a close match,” Vaidehee added.Over the course of the three titles Vaidehee has won, the 26-year-old from Ahmedabad has come across various opponents.“I’m seeing a lot of new faces right now. The players are playing very well. I played the quarter-final against Aditi Rawat. She gave a good fight. In 2024, I won against Maya in the final. So, the players that are coming up are playing well, which is a good thing for India,” she said.She hasn’t earmarked any specific area of her game for improvement but cited the need to work on her all-round game.“I have not earmarked any specific area for improvement. But, I want to improve my overall game to achieve my dream of playing in a Grand Slam,” she said.Asked specifically whether her focus was on enhancing the return or service game, she responded in a measured manner, saying, “My focus is on both. It is not specific to my service game. But normally, everyone has more confidence in the service game that they would definitely hold. But when it comes to me, I am focused on improving both aspects of my game.”On how she prepares herself mentally for the grind on the tour, Vaidehee said, “I don’t take any training for mental toughness. I just keep saying to myself that whatever happens, I have to fight. I do yoga and meditation. But apart from that, I don’t undertake any training for mental toughness. My motto is to fight till the end.”
