Shikha and Neha Uberoi with the runners-up trophy on Sunday. Picture by Santosh Ghosh

Calcutta: In the end, Anastasia Myskina was just too good for Karolina Sprem. The deceptively petite Russian blew the Croat away 6-2, 6-2 in exactly an hour to lift the inaugural WTA Sunfeast Open title, a triumph that was worth $27,000, at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Sunday.

Sprem, world No. 81, had no answer to the top seed’s wile and guile and eventually succumbed without a murmur.

The fluid Myskina didn’t have to do too much, and never seemed to exert herself. She was just happy to let an over-eager Sprem, who held serve just once in the entire match, make all the mistakes. The seventh seed played with a bit too much power, hit her shots a bit too deep and ended up making most of the errors.

The Russian began with an easy service game, and proceeded to break Sprem in the very next. There was no hint of a chink in her armour as she went on to hold again and go up 3-0.

That the occasion was getting to Sprem displayed itself in the fourth ? a forehand and backhand into the net, and another backhand long ? and she found herself broken to love, and 0-4 down.

But she composed herself, and managed to stem the rot somewhat when the chink showed up on Myskina’s serve. Myskina’s concentration took a dive and Sprem had two break points.

The world No. 12 then decided to commit one of her two double faults of the match at the most inopportune of moments, and Sprem had one break back.

The match then went with serve ? Sprem showing signs of the power and the pace that sent Elena Likhovtseva out in the semi-finals on Saturday, packing in two aces in holding Game 6.

But she was still at a disadvantage, a break down with no signs of another Myskina lapse in concentration.

Game 8, and Sprem needed to hold to at least make Myskina serve out the set. But at 15-15, one forehand wide and volley long gave Myskina two set points.

Sprem courageously saved one with a whipping forehand down the line, but a folly on the backhand handed Myskina the set.

The second set turned out to be one of inverse proportions. The situation was such that one waited with bated breath to see who would hold to go ahead!

As it was, it was Myskina who stood her ground to go 3-2 ahead after being broken in the first and third games. The Russian’s experience, however, told and she broke back immediately both times.

From Game 5, it was the Muscovite all the way, and Sprem didn’t get a look-in as Myskina took her game to another plane to win five in a row.

As the errors flew off Sprem’s racket, Myskina began mixing up her game with some power-packed punches and delicate strokes and the Croat’s game crumbled.

The win gave Myskina her first victory in over a year ? her last title came at the Kremlin Cup ? and the first this year after she finished runner-up in Stockholm. The triumph also gives her a chance to make it back to the top 10 after collecting 120 precious points.

Myskina later teamed up with Likhovtseva to complete a ‘double’ with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of sisters Shikha and Neha Uberoi in under an hour.

The Indo-American duo, who hardly play doubles together, showed a complete lack of co-ordination and was broken in the second and fourth games of the first set.

The Russian pair polished off the second set in 20 minutes.

DAY VII RESULTS

SINGLES, final — Anastasia Myskina (1, Rus) bt Karolina Sprem (7, Cro) 6-2, 6-2.

DOUBLES, final — Anastasia Myskina/Elena Likhovtseva (1, Rus) bt Shikha/Neha Uberoi (Ind/US) 6-1, 6-0.