Sonal lets Sai slip through her fingers

By Kamesh Srinivasan

GWALIOR, OCT. 19. Sai Jayalakshmy (See photo) survived a scare from Sonal Phadke in the quarterfinals of the $10,000 ITF women's circuit tennis tournament at the Jiwaji Club courts here on Thursday.

It was third time unlucky for Sonal, after her two previous defeats to the top-seeded Sai, but the Mumbai teenager, who fired her shots on target much to the jubilation of the crowd, fought all the way before going down.

Sai prevailed 2-4, 4-2, 4-0, 5-4 (8-6) in an hour and 43 minutes, after the latter had saved a matchpoint in the fourth set tie- break with a backhand down-the-line winner. Sonal had broken Sai twice when the latter was serving for the match, and had also taken a 5-2 lead in the tie-break before she lost her way.

``I wasn't happy with the way I played. I struggled with my serve. It was really hot and I was getting tired, so I didn't want the match to go to the fifth set. She was crafty and played her shots well,'' said Sai, who added that she always felt the pressure while playing an Indian.

In that sense, Sai should be comfortable when she takes on Anna Nefedova of Russia, who continued to have an easy time, beating qualifier T. Yamini, for the loss of just a solitary game.

Nefedova, who had got a bye in the first round, dismissed wild card entrant Aparna Singh for the loss of three games, before overwhelming Yamini. The lack of a tough match in the run-up to the semifinals may be the undoing for the Russian when she meets Sai, who can be too good if she touches her form.

``I have beaten Nefedova twice. If I keep more balls in play it should not be difficult for me. There is also less pressure playing a foreigner,'' said Sai, who has been grappling with her game, struggling to strike her normal form.

The 17-year-old Nefedova did not have to sweat much, despite not being well, as she stormed away with the match in 38 minutes, conceding 10 points to Yamini in the first two sets. The latter fought better in the third set, winning 14 points, but could not win a game, all the same.

``I did expect an easy match. I was having fever, and thus tried to play fast and finish the match quickly,'' said Nefedova.

The fourth-seeded Russian was not willing to read the ensuing encounter against Sai, and said, ``women's tennis is so unpredictable. I hope to play well.''

The second-seeded Andrea van den Hurk of the Netherlands was stretched by the gutsy Archana Venkataraman, who of course failed to capitalise on numerous gamepoints and breakpoints as the match progressed.

With a good serve, neat slice and compact play, the Dutch was able to call the shots, after Archana had won the second set in putting the score on par.

``I had my chances, but was not able to finish well. I should have put more pressure on her backhand,'' said Archana.

``It was really hot, and I tried to win in three. But she was playing well. She doesn't make many mistakes. I was not happy with my serve. I have already played three matches, and am ready for the tougher matches,'' said Andrea, who will be meeting the player in form, the third-seeded Rushmi Chakravarthi, who has not dropped a set yet.

Andrea was happy about playing Rushmi, as the latter hits her strokes hard, which should suit her game. ``She hits well, and I like playing such a player. It will not be an easy match,'' said Andrea.

From the manner Rushmi outplayed Monica Acosta of Paraguay, in cruising home in three sets, it will indeed be an exciting encounter on the morrow, when she meets the Dutch.

Rushmi served well and packed punch in her strokes in overpowering the 17-year-old Acosta, who was helpless as she tried in vain to keep pace with the Indian.

``She had beaten Shruti, and I expected a tough match. But I am happy with my game,'' said Rushmi, who has made her second semifinals this year, and fifth overall.

``I don't know what happened. She plays good, but I thought I had a chance,'' said Acosta.

The Paraguayan teenager was flying back home to Asuncion, after only one week of competition in India. Though there are tournaments over the next two weeks in Delhi, Acosta will not be eligible to compete, as she has already exhausted her quota of 13 tournaments for the year, as per the stipulation chalked by the ITF for a 17-year-old player.

In the doubles quarterfinals, the foreign pairs prevailed over the inexperienced Indian girls in four sets. The second-seeded Anna Nefedova and Andrea van den Hurk downed Preeti Rao and Samrita Sekar after dropping the third set. The third- seeded Monica Acosta and Larissa Schaerer managed to win the second set after being 1-3 down, weathered a third set loss and wound up comfortably.

The Indian girls, three of them 16 years in age and the other 17, would have gained in confidence with the experience, as there was not much difference between the teams.

The results (quarterfinals):

Singles: Sai Jayalakshmy bt Sonal Phadke 2-4, 4-2, 4-0, 5-4 (8- 6); Anna Nefedova (Rus) bt T. Yamini 4-1, 4-0, 4-0; Rushmi Chakravarthi bt Monica Acosta (Par) 4-2, 4-2, 4- 0; Andrea van den Hurk (Ned) bt Archana Venkataraman 4-2, 2-4, 4- 1, 4-0.

Doubles: Monica Acosta and Larissa Schaerer (Par) bt Nandita Chandrasekhar and T. Yamini 4-1, 5-3, 0-4, 4-1; Anna Nefedova (Rus) and Andrea van den Hurk (Ned) bt Preeti Rao and Samrita Sekar 5-3, 4-0, 2-4, 4-1.

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