Harsh wins doubles title at Canada F3

Harsh Mankad and Carey Franklin of the United States won the doubles title at the Canada F3 futures.

Mankad and Franklin, who paired for the first time, defeated Vikrant Chadha and James Shortall of New Zealand 7-6(4), 6-3 in the final at Lachine, Canada.

Earlier, in the semi-finals, Mankad and Franklin upset top seeds Andrew Nisker of Canada and Tripp Phillips of the United States 6-3, 7-6(3). Nisker and Phillips were champions and runners-up in the F1 and F2 events respectively.

This was Mankad's first doubles final since reaching the $25,000 ITF men's Satellite leg 3, Delhi final, with Ajay Ramaswamy in June last year. He won the leg 2 doubles title with Ramaswamy at Bangalore in June 2000.

The title gives Mankad 12 points. He desperately needed some doubles points, having gone out in the first round in the Canada F1 event and missing the Canada F2 doubles because of his inablility to find a suitable partner after having reached there a bit late after winning the F1 title.

All his 26 doubles points from last year's satellite tournaments will fall off next week. Thus, the title came in the nick of time and helped him to stay in the rankings.

Mankad has had a good time in the three futures in Canada. He won the F1 singles event two weeks back and picked the doubles title in the F3.

Vikrant Chadha also had a good time in Canada, playing doubles. Pairing with James Shortall of New Zealand, he lost in the final of the F3, lost in semis of the F1, while in the singles of F3, he lost in the quarter-finals.

In the women's circuit, Manisha Malhotra and Leanne Baker of New Zealand won the doubles title at $25,000 ITF women's circuit Challenger at Bastad, Sweden.

In the final on Sunday, they defeated the 4th seeded Austrian pair of Sandra Klemenschitz and Daniella Klemenschitz 6-3, 6-1

The title gives Malhotra 23 doubles points. She now has a total of 225.50 points and her ranking will move up about 15 spots, to near 200 from the current 216.

Malhotra and Leanne Baker had won the doubles title at the $50,000 Challenger in Marseille, France, three weeks back.

Related reports:
Canada F3 tournament, Lachine Open
Vikrant Chadha on a roll
Canada F2 tournament, Montreal, Canada
Mankad falls at first hurdle
Canada F1 tournament, Mississauga, Canada
Harsh Mankad claims first pro title
Harsh Mankad rallies to make semis
Good going for Indians on international circuit