Srishti's impressive run came to an end in the final, where she went down fighting to top seed Ellery Mendell of the USA 4-6, 3-6. Battling cramps and physical discomfort during the latter stages of the match, the young Indian displayed tremendous grit against her higher-ranked opponent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The final was closely contested in its early stages. Srishti raced to a 2-0 lead and later held a 3-1 advantage in the opening set before Mendell fought back to claim it 6-4. In the second set, the Indian was locked at 3-3 and held two game points that could have given her a crucial 4-3 lead. However, the nagging pain and cramps affected her movement, allowing the American to seize control and close out the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the loss, the tournament marked another significant milestone for Srishti, who arrived in Guatemala on the back of an extraordinary run of five consecutive ITF junior titles.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The youngster's journey to the final was highlighted by a series of impressive victories over seeded opponents. She began her campaign with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 win over host city\u2019s Katia Maria Pemuellar in the opening round. In the pre-quarterfinals, she defeated seventh seed Sarah Stoyanov 6-1, 7-6 (1) before overcoming fourth seed Hanne Estrada Cortes of Mexico 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a hard-fought quarterfinal clash.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the loss, the tournament marked another significant milestone for Srishti, who arrived in Guatemala on the back of an extraordinary run of five consecutive ITF junior titles.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt has been a very special tournament for me. Reaching the final and competing against some very strong players has given me a lot of confidence. Of course, I am disappointed not to win the title, but there are many positives that I will take from this week,\u201d said Srishti, who reached her career-best junior ranking of 461 last week and is expected to jump several ranks higher after her latest bridesmaid finish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n