Prerna, Ankita only Indians to advance to quarterfinals
May 11th, 2011 - 8:45 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, May 11 (IANS) India’s Prerna Bhambri overcame Ratnika Batra in a closely-fought three-setter to storm into the quarterfinals on a day when Oman’s top seed Fatma Al Nabhani crashed out of the $10,000 ITF women’s tennis at the DLTA complex here Wednesday.
Prerna, who took out fourth-seeded compatriot Rushmi Chakravarthi in the opening round Tuesday, battled past reigning national champion Batra 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, in a quality match. She next plays Su Jeong Jang of South Korea who brushed aside fifth-seeded Ashvarya Shrivastava 6-2, 6-1.
Seventh-seeded Ankita Raina is the only other Indian remaining in contention, having received a walkover from her South Korean opponent Da Hye Kim.
Ankita plays in the quarterfinals Japan’s Misa Kinoshita, who defeated Australian qualifier Lauren Breadmore 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3).
Al Nabhani was stunned by unseeded Briton Manisha Foster, rallying after dropping the first set to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, in a two-hour clash. Foster next plays Japan’s Etsuko Kitazaki, who got a walkover from sixth-seeded South Korean Na-Lae Han.
Prerna, a student at Jesus and Mary College here, played solid and frustrated Batra with her fluent ground strokes, invariably finding angles. She looked on course for a straight-set victory when she snatched an early break for a 3-2 lead in the second set. But she dropped her service immediately, double-faulting on the break point.
A fired-up Batra again broke her opponent in the eighth game, when Prerna hit a backhand cross-court long, and served out to make it a set-all.
The two trainees at Siri Fort Sports Complex played their hearts out in the decider with Batra breaking Prerna straightaway. But just when things looked like slipping out of her grasp, Prerna hit back in the fourth game but not before failing with four break points.
The break did a world of good to Prerna’s confidence and she nosed ahead 4-2 with another break.
The 20-year-old muffed a match-point netting a forehand in the eight game and was broken in the next game serving for the match. She, however, broke back to take the set and the match in two hours.
In other second round matches, third-seeded Karen Shlomo of Israel got the better of India’s Rishika Sunkara 6-4, 6-2, and now plays eighth-seeded German Jessica Sabeshinskaja, who defeated India’s Natasha Palja 6-4, 6-1.
- Prerna upsets Rushmi in Delhi ITF - May 10, 2011
- Prerna continues to come through three-setters - May 12, 2011
- Palha advances to second round in ITF - May 09, 2011
- Indians bow out in first round of QNet women's championship - Mar 19, 2012
- Prerna bows out of Delhi ITF - May 13, 2011
- Prerna lone Indian in ITF semifinals - Jun 16, 2011
- Ratnika upsets fifth seed Scimone in ITF tournament - Jun 14, 2011
- Rushmi shocked, Ratnika rallies to beat Ashvarya in ITF tourney - Jun 21, 2011
- Prerna, Ratnika in ITF semis - Jun 23, 2011
- Rutuja beats Ratnika to enter ITF tournament quarters - Jun 15, 2011
- Kyra Shroff stuns third seed in ITF tennis - Mar 20, 2012
- National Grass Court Tennis: Top seed Myneni in final - Feb 10, 2012
- Three Indians make main draw in ITF Open - Mar 18, 2012
- Prerna to meet Shlomo in ITF women's final - Jun 24, 2011
- Rutuja in ITF women's quarterfinals - Jun 22, 2011
Tags: ashvarya, batra, break point, break points, briton, compatriot, cross court, eighth game, etsuko, ground strokes, hye kim, jesus and mary, jesus and mary college, kinoshita, manisha, match point, national champion, raina, sports complex, walkover