Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) Eighth-seeded Karunuday Singh entered the quarterfinals of the $10,000 ITF tournament after top seed Yuki Bhambri limped out midway through their match here Thursday.

Yuki, who had been nursing tendonitis on both his knees, was leading 4-3 in the second set after losing the first 6-4, when he decided to concede the match.

The 18-year-old Delhi boy said he felt pain and thought it wise to retire.

“A slight pain was always there. I have not fully recovered. After the power-packed first set, I felt the discomfort. I did not want to aggravate it,” said Yuki, who last played in ITF tournament in Chandigarh in April, where he had reached the final.

Both Yuki and Karunuday played aggressively and were engaged in long rallies before the top seed dropped his serve in the tenth game to go down a set.

He, however, swiftly took a 4-1 lead in the second set before being broken back. He was to serve at 4-3 but chose to quit.

Karunuday next plays fourth-seeded N. Prashanth, who advanced after Russian Vitali Reshentnikov retired in the first set, trailing 0-3, citing tiredeness.

In the other quarterfinals, seventh-seeded Vijayant Malik continued his winning march when he defeated giant killer Vignesh Peranamullur, 6-2, 7-5. Peranamullur took out second seed Rohan Gajjar in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Malik plays sixth-seeded Swede and last week’s winner Patrik Rosenholm. Rosenholm doused a spirited effort from third-seeded Ranjit Virali-Murugesan 6-7(4) 6-7(2).

Ranjit played fluently to break the Swede in the sixth game of the first set only to drop his serve immediately. The set went to a tie-break, where the Swede dominated with a strong serve and a big forehand.

The Indian fought back in the second set to go up 5-3 but the Swede again broke back to enforce a second tie-break. Ranjit’s stream of errors let him down and he lost the set and the match when he hit a forehand long.