Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Only three Indian girls reached the quarterfinals of the $10,000 women’s International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament at the DLTA complex here Wednesday.
After heavy showers interrupted play Tuesday, the players had to grind it out back-to-back first and the second round singles match Wednesday. Some players had their doubles matches too.

Of the four unfinished matches Tuesday, Nupur Kaul, who was leading 6-3, 4-1 against Russian Alina Tseplukhova, cantered to a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

However, Nupur could not go any further as she was beaten in the second round by second-seeded Poojashree Venkatesh 1-6, 1-6. Poojashree won her carried over match against wildcard Rishika Sunkra, over three sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 taking off from Tuesday’s 3-6, 5-1. Poojashree recovered from 0-3 down to take the decider.

Poojashree’s next opponent is fifth seed Sanaa Bhambri who beat talented qualifier Ashvarya Shrivastava 6-4, 6-2 in the first round and then swept aside her cousin Prerna Bhambri 6-3, 6-1 in the second round.

Last week’s semi-finalist, fourth-seeded Isha Lakhani beat Parul Goswami 6-3, 6-3 to set up a clash with sixth seed and last week’s finalist Alexandra Kolesnichenko of Uzbekistan. Kolesnichenko dispatched Indian wildcard Sowjanya Bavisetti in the second round after overcoming Kumari-Sweta Solanki 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 in the first.

Top seed Emily Webley-Smith of Britain sailed through the first two rounds beating Indian qualifier Adnya Naik 6-3, 6-1 and later Ankita Raina 6-3, 6-2. She now plays French Elodie Rogge-Dietrich who upset seventh seed Parija Maloo 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 in the second round.