Oliver Crawford reigned supreme at the SM Krishna Memorial Open as he beat Jay Clarke for the title at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. It was an injury-curtailed final as Clarke, the top seed, retired midway into the contest after suffering an ankle injury.
Crawford, seeded second, was quick to get off the blocks as he raced to a 4-0 lead within 25 minutes. The Englishman, who came into the tournament after winning two successive titles in Shenzen and Luan, saved a breakpoint in his first service game to lead 1-0.
Clarke conceded a double fault in the next game, which offered Crawford a chance to seize the break and he took it with both hands. Crawford, 25, held his serve to love in the third game and then broke Clarke again in the fourth to race to a 4-0 lead.
Clarke, playing in his fourth final in as many weeks, took a medical timeout and got some treatment on his right ankle. The break helped as he immediately broke Crawford’s serve, but the injury restricted his movement. The 26-year-old showed grit to stay on the court but felt a sharp pain in his right ankle again while serving in the eighth game and chose to retire.
Speaking after the game, Clarke said he was happy to make the final especially since he was not sure of playing this week due to a recurring injury. “It's unfortunate, I hate retiring. I think 20 matches in four weeks is a lot of tennis, especially on hard courts. I had wrist surgery in 2023 and that kept me out for six months and especially my age now, I don't want to be missing any more time on court. It’s a shame (that I had to retire today), but I have to make smart decisions like today to hopefully minimise the time off the court,” he said.
Crawford was pleased with his win, which extended his impressive start to the season. “This is my third title in a row and my fourth of the season, which is more than usual. I'm off to a good start and I’m really pleased to have come through to win it this week.”
He was gracious in victory and lauded praise on his compatriot, saying, “Obviously, that's never the way you want to win a match or a tournament, but I think the right decision for Jay to stop and not cause further damage to his leg. He's had an exceptional season thus far, especially his trip here in India and hopefully he'll be back on the court soon.”
The champion also commended the organization of the tournament, saying, “The facility was fantastic and the people have been very helpful. I think the Indian people have been exceptional to me. I have nothing but good things to say about the city, the people and the resources here.”
Results:
Oliver Crawford (GBR) beat Jay Clarke (GBR) 5-2 (-retired)
