Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Eighth-seeded Prerna Bhambri is the lone Indian to enter the semifinals of the $10,000 ITF women’s singles. She outplayed compatriot Ashvarya Shrivastava, seeded four rungs above her, 6-2, 6-2, at the DLTA complex here Thursday.

All the other Indians failed to get the measure of their opponents. Second-seed Rushmi Chakravathi lost to sixth-seeded South Korean Hae-Sung Kim in two hard-fought sets, 6-7(9), 5-7.

Rutuja Bhosale, who defeated national champion Ratnika Batra Wednesday, went down to third seed Nadia Abdala of Mexico 6-3, 6-4.

Prerna, playing taping her sore right forearm, was sharp with her groundstrokes and went for the lines even in tight situations. Hard-hitting Ashvarya was good in parts, but lacked consistency to pose any threat. Also, she struggled with her first serve.

Prerna swiftly went up a set after breaking Ashvarya in the third and seventh game. The Delhi girl, however, committed a few uncharacteristic errors to drop her serve in the opening game of the second set, but broke back in the third with two superb forehand winners.

She then broke at love in the fifth game when a double fault from Ashvarya brought up two break points and she converted the first with a fluent backhand pass.

Prerna, however, had to save four break points, in the prolonged sixth game that went to five deuces. She eventually took a 4-2 lead after Ashvarya’s backhand return sailed long.

A frustrated Ashvarya committed two double faults to drop her serve. She did have a break point as Prerna served for the match but the Delhi girl saved it and served out the set and the match.

Prerna next plays China’s Zhaoxuan Yang, who defeated Polish qualifier Joanna Nalborska 6-4, 6-4.