Dubai: Riya Matharoo and Eshaan Lamba were crowned champions in the girls under-14 and boys under-18 respectively at the inaugural UAE Ranking Circuit Masters tennis that concluded at the Al Nasr Leisureland (ANL), on Saturday.

Organised by Tennis Emirates (TE) under the patronage of the General Authority of Sports (GAS), the three-day competition was held on the ATP format for the best eight players in seven age categories.

Matharoo got the better of Shaikha Al Janahi 6-3, 6-2 for the girls under-14 crown, while Lamba dug in deep to secure a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win against Garv Bahl for the boy’s under-18 title.

Ahmad Abdul Malik, Vice-President of TE was joined by Nasser Al Marzouqi, General Secretary of TE, Abdul Kader Yousuf, General Manager of ANL and representatives from the sponsors at the presentation of trophies to the winners.

“I had a horrible first set where I wasn’t moving too well. When the second set started I decided to keep things simple and raise the intensity of my game,” Lamba told Gulf News.

“Slowly I got my rhythm back and I could just hang in there and get better as the match progressed,” the American School of Dubai student related.

Matharoo too was not too pleased with her performance. “I think I made too many mistakes at the start. But the good thing is that I got better as the match progressed,” she said.

“I was scared to go through with my shots at the beginning. But as the match went on I found my confidence back and managed to come through with a win,” she added.

The event was sponsored by DP World, Tennis on Demand, Club Med Tennis Academies, Dr George John’s Transform, TPS Tennis and PDL Coffee Company, among others.

Al Marzouqi was pleased to go through with the inaugural edition of the Masters. “We needed to make a beginning, and this event would not have been a reality if it was not for the support we have received from all concerned, starting with the sponsors to our partners,” he said.

Roll of Honour

Boys and Girls U-10: Ishir Mehta bt Rahil Rizvie 4-2, 4-2

Boy’s U-12: Ege Topkoc bt Dev Kanbargimat 6-2, 6-3

Girls U-14: Riya Matharoo bt Shaikha Al Janahi 6-3, 6-2

Mehul John bt Josh Manuel 7-6, 2-1

Yousuf Manna bt Adam Nichols 6-1, 3-6, 1-0

Stefania Bojica bt Andra Sirbu (retd.)

Eshaan Lamba bt Garv Bahl 2-6, 6-3, 6-3