Indians lose in ITF tennis

Pune, Nov 18: India's Nirupama Sanjeev, Poojashree Venkatesha, Sanaa Bhambri and lucky loser Sheetal Goutham crashed out of the singles event of the $50,000 NECC-ITF Women's Tennis championships here Wednesday.

Uzbek wild card Sabina Sharipova, 15, upset second seeded Slovak Masa Zec Peskiric 6-3, 6-2 to enter the quarter-finals.

In the second round, top seed and 111 ranked Tamarine Tanasugarn stopped Nirupama 6-2,6-3 in 91 minutes, while third seeded Bojana Jovanovski outplayed Poojashree Venkatesha 6-1, 6-0.

Sanaa saved two match points to claim the second set but faltered in the third set to go down fighting against eighth seeded Anastasia Vasylyyeva, from Ukraine 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 in 2 hours 13 minutes. Qualifier Chen Astrogo of Israel ousted the run of lucky looser Sheetal 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

In the Nirupama - Tanasugarn match which generated much excitement, the Indian started with a break , but lost her serve in the fourth, sixth and the eighth games to lose the set 2-6. In the second set, the two were level at 3-3 before Nirupama lost her serve in the eighth to eventually lose the contest.

"I played well, but Tamarine is just a very good player and very precise though she doesn't have too much speed," said Nirupama after the match.

In the quarterfinals tomorrow, Tanasugarn will take on fifth seeded Russian Nina Bratchikova who spoilt the birthday party of junior Wimbledon champion Noppawan Lertcheewakrn of Thailand, winning 7-6 (6), 6-2.

In the best match of the day, 15-year-old Uzbek sensation and wildcard Sabina Sharipova, currenty ranked 530, scored the biggest win of her young career accounting for second seeded 119th ranked Masa Zec-Peskiric 6-3, 6-2, in 76 minutes.

"I'm very happy and excited to beat the second seed here," said the young Uzbek after the match."This is my first quarterfinal in a $50,000 event, I would like to go further," she added.

Another Thai player 459th seeded Varatchaya Wongteanchai scored a 7-6 (3),7-6 (5) win over compatriot and 420th ranked Nudnida Luangnam to set up a clash with 237th ranked and sixth seeded Rika Fujiwara of Japan who outhit Shiho Hisamatsu 6-2, 6-0.

The Indian challenge however was alive in the doubles event as Sanaa Bhambri and Rushmi Chakravarthi scored a 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 win over Keren Shlomo of Israel and Poojashree Venkatesha to enter the semifinals.

The results:

Singles (2nd round): Tamarine Tanasugarn ( Tha) bt Nirupama Sanjeev 6-2, 6-3; Nina Bratchikova (Rus) bt Noppawan Lertcheewakarn( Tha) 7-6 (6),6-3; Varatchaya Wongteanchai (Tha) bt Nudnida Luangnam (Tha) 7-6 (3),7-6 (5); Rika Fujiwara ( Jpn) bt Shiho Hisamatsu (Jpn) 6-2,6-0; Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukr) bt Sanaa Bhambri 6-1,5-7,7-5; Bojana Jovanovski(Srb) bt Poojashree Venkatesha 6-1,6-0; Chen Astrogo( Isr) bt Sheethal Goutham 6-3,4-6,6-3; Sabina Sharipova(Uzb) bt S.2 Masa Zec- Peskiric (Slo) 6-3,6-2.

Doubles (Quarterfinals): Sanaa Bhambri / Rushmi Chakravarthi (Ind) bt Keren Shlomo ( Isr) / Poojashree Venkatesha ( Ind) 6-3, 2-6, 10-7; Nicole Clerico (Ita) / Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukr) bt Shweta Solanki / Rishi Sunkara (Ind) 6-2,6-3; Noppawan Lertcheewakarn / Varatchaya Wongteanchai( Tha) bt Chen Astrogo (Isr) / Bojana Jovanovski (Srb) 6-2, 3-6, 11-9; Nina Bratchikova( Rus)/ Ksenia Palkina ( Kgz) bt Prerna Bhambri (Ind) / Sabina Sharipova( Uzb) 6-1,6-2.