Bengaluru
Oliver Crawford claimed the S.M. Krishna Memorial Open title after his injured opponent Jay Clarke retired in the final at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium here on Sunday.
Clarke, the top seed, retired in the first set due to 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 came into the tournament after winning two successive titles in Shenzen and Luan.
Clarke, playing in his fourth final in as many weeks, took a medical timeout to get treatment on his right ankle. The 26-year-old Clarke returned to the court, but could not continue for long.
Crawford was gracious in victory, stating, “Obviously that’s never the way you want to win a match or a tournament, but I think it was the right decision for Jay to stop and not cause further damage to his leg.”
The result:
Final:
Oliver Crawford (GBR) bt Jay Clarke (GBR) 5-2 (retired).
Published – April 07, 2025 10:35 am IST
