Japanese Mei, Ayumi stun seeds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JAPANESE players Mei Yamaguchi and Ayumi Koshiishi accounted for third and fourth seeds respectively in the Maha Urja Nagpur Open ITF Women’s Championships under way at MSLTA Tennis Academy courts in Ram Nagar on Wednesday. Mei upset third seed and winner of Gurugram Open Justina Mikulskyte of Lithuania 7-5, 6-2 while Ayumi shocked fourth seed Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia 6-4, 7-6 (6) to make it to the Round of 16. Out of six Indians in action in the day, Sahaja Yamlapalli of Hyderabad continued her consistent performance and made it to singles pre-quarterfinals. In an exciting match, Sahaja, seeded fifth, eked out a come from behind victory over another Indian Vaidehi Chaudhari. Sahaja lost the first set 3-6 but made a strong comeback taking the second set 6-1.

 

The 23-year-old was successful in winning third set 6-1 again to advance in the tournament. The match lasted for one hour and 46 minutes. The Hyderabad girl will now take on wildcard entrant Sonal Patil of Kolhapur in the Round of 16 ensuring an Indian player makes it to the quarter-final. The longest match of the day which lasted for 2 hours and 13 minutes was played between Japanese Ikumi Yamazaki and Vaishnavi Adkar. In this match, Adkar was successful in taking the first set 3-6. Being a set down, Yamazaki bounced back in the second taking it 6-4. Then she brought together all her experience to quell the challenge of qualifier Adkar in the third set taking it 6-3.

 

In other matches involving Indians, top seed Romania’s Irina Maria Bara stopped the run of qualifier Akanksha Nitture with scores reading 6-1, 6-3; Russian qualifier Anastasia Zolotareva had to work hard to beat Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Unseeded Korean player Dayeon Back drubbed qualifier Anjali Rathi of Harayana 6-1, 6-1 to move up. In doubles, Sahaja of India, teaming up with Italian Miriana Tona, made it to the quarter-final as they beat pair of Sharmada Balu and Rinon Okuwaki 7-5, 4-6, 10-8.