Sunitha loses as Indian challenge ends

Seventh-seeded India’s Sunitha Rao lost to Ekaterina Dzehalevich of Belarus 5-7, 2-6 in the quarterfinals, as Indian challenge came to an end, of the ITF women’s tennis tournament played at the DLTA Complex here on Thursday.

Sunitha, who wasn’t feeling well due to stomach infection, started off well as she broke her opponent’s serve in the very first game but Dzehalevich levelled the terms in the very next game.

Dzehalevich, who had earlier beaten second-seeded Mathilde Johansson of France, was at her thumping best as she kept Sunitha on her toes all the time. Though she played marginally better than Sunitha, who looked little jittery in her approach. Sunitha committed lot of unforced errors that also gave leeway to her opponent to get through.

However, this wasn’t the end of road for Sunitha as she and her French partner Aurelie Vedy advanced into the doubles finals edging past the Czech pair of Veronica Chvojkova and Andrea Hlavackova 7-5,7-5.

They will now face Chinese Chun-Mei Ji and Sheng-Nan Sun on Friday, who defeated Indian sisters duo of Neha and Shikha Uberoi 7-5, 6-3.

In the other singles quarterfinals of the day, Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium beat Chenelle Scheepers of South Africa 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-3 while Naomi Cavaday of Britain rallied to beat Carmen Klaschka of Germany 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Margit Ruutel of Estonia prevailed over Lenka Tvaroskova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-3 to enter the semi-finals.

RESULTS

Singles (quarterfinals): Naomi Cavaday (GBR) bt Carmen Klaschka (Ger) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Yanina Wickmayer (Bel) bt Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3; Margit Ruutel (Est) bt Aniko Kapros (Hun) 6-4, 6-3; Ekaterina Dzehalevich (Blr) bt Sunitha Rao 7-5, 6-2.

Doubles (semifinals): Chun-Mei Ji & Sheng-Nan Sun (Chn) bt Neha Uberoi (US) & Shikha Uberoi 7-5, 6-3; Aurelie Vedy (Fra) & Sunitha Rao bt Veronika Chvojkova & Andrea Hlavackova (Cze) 7-5, 7-5.