Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Former national champion Isha Lakhani overcame talented Sharmada Balu 6-4, 6-4, to enter the women’s singles quarterfinals of the Fenesta National Tennis Championship at the DLTA Complex here Wednesday.

The 26-year-old Lakhani cleverly slowed down the pace to break the 17-year-old Bangalore player’s rhythm.

Lakhani, who is back in competitive tennis after two years, also left Balu guessing with a variety in serve.

The two traded breaks twice before Isha effected the decisive break in the ninth game to go a set up.

Lakhani carried in the same vein in the next set, breaking Balu in the seventh game, and that was enough to see her through.

Isha, who runs a coaching academy here, said she is enjoying every bit on the court.

“Earlier, I was trying to make a career out of it. Today, I am playing to enjoy. The last two years have been very satisfying, I got married and got into coaching,” Isha said.

“In fact, I had come here to enter one of my trainees and at the spur of the moment I decided to play. I am enjoying my tennis and I have nothing on my mind, I am just revelling in the moment. I want to test myself in challenging situations, that will help me in life too.

“But I have definitely become a lot calmer, and this is reflecting in my game too. I have seldom enjoyed playing tennis so much,” she said.

Lakhani is next up against another experienced player, 30-year-old Sheethal Goutham, who dismissed Uttar Pradesh’s Shreya Pasricha 6-2, 6-3.

“It will be a good match,” Isha said.

Giant-killer Rutuja Bhosale, who stunned top seed Prerna Bhambri Tuesday, continued her good run by dispatching Delhi’s Nehel Sahni 6-2, 6-0. She next plays qualifier Prathana Thombare 6-1, 6-1.

Rutuja also advanced in the girls’ under-18 event, beating Likitha Shetty 6-0, 6-4.

In the men’s singles, Hyderabad’s Saketh Myneni registered a shock win over fifth-seeded P. C. Vignesh 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, to enter the quarterfinals. He next plays third seed N. Vijay Sunder Prashanth.

Myneni, who is back after completing his education in the US and having played at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) circuit, defeated Prashanth in the semfinals of JGI-AITA senior tournament at Bangalore last month.

Top seed Vishnu Vardhan had it easy against Maharashtra’s Ronak Manuja 6-2, 6-1.

He next plays S.V. Abhishek, who shocked seventh-seeded Kunal Anand 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-1 in the second round.

Second seed Yuki Bhambri overcame a second-set fightback by Lakshit Sood to prevail 6-2, 6-4, on the way to the quarterfinals. Yuki will next face Ankit Sachdeva.

“I have played a lot with Ankit. We train in the same academy and know each other’s game well. He is a counterpuncher and unlike the opponents I met in the first two rounds,” Yuki said.