Sandeepti reaches ITF Gurugram quarterfinals

The bespectacled Sandeepti, moving swiftly and stroking with purpose, was in command at 6-3, 2-1 when fifth seed Tamara Curovic of Serbia, facing a breakpoint on her serve, walked to the net to shake hands.

FILE PHOTO: Sandeepti Singh Rao | Photo Credit: KAMESH SRINIVASAN

Sandeepti Singh Rao sustained her success story as she sailed past fifth seed Tamara Curovic of Serbia in the pre-quarterfinals of the $15,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project, Baliawas, on Thursday.

The bespectacled Sandeepti, moving swiftly and stroking with purpose, was in command at 6-3, 2-1 when the the tall and strong Serb, facing a breakpoint on her serve, walked to the net to shake hands.

The 19-year-old Sandeepti who had beaten the Serb last week on clay in Jhajjar, after saving three match points in the semifinals, was a bit disappointed with the abrupt end to the match. Yet, the energy she conserved would come handy for Sandeepti when she faces the third seed Saki Imamura of Japan in the quarterfinals.

Quite a competitor, Saki was brilliant as she recovered from being 1-5 in the second set to beat Shrivalli Bhamidipaty 6-2, 7-5. It was another harsh lesson for Shrivalli who does have a big game, but manages to tie herself up in knots in competition.

The champion of last week, Zeel Desai worked her way past qualifier Pooja Ingale, and will challenge top seed Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia.

Vaidehi Chaudhari beat Humera Baharmus in straight sets to face the wiry Antonia Schmidt of Germany in the quarterfinals.

The other quarterfinal will be between Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic of Germany and Fanny Ostlund of Sweden.

RESULTS

Singles (Pre-quarterfinals)

Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) bt Weronika Baszak (Pol) 6-3, 6-3; Zeel Desai bt Pooja Ingale 6-2, 6-3; Saki Imamura bt Shrivalli Bhamidipaty 6-2, 7-5; Sandeepti Singh Rao bt Tamara Curovic (Srb) 6-3, 2-1 (retired); Antonia Schmidt (Ger) bt Marie Mettraux (Sui) 6-1, 6-4; Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Humera Baharmus 6-1, 6-4; Fanny Ostlund (Swe) bt Emily Welker (Ger) 7-5, 3-6, 6-0; Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Julia Lovqvist (Swe) 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles (Quarterfinals)

Weronika Baszak (Pol) & Fanny Ostlund (Swe) bt Antonia Schmidt & Emily Welker (Ger) 6-4, 6-1; Shrivalli Bhamidipaty & Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Humera Baharmus & Yubrani Banerjee 6-1, 6-1; Sharmada Balu & Marie Mettraux (Sui) bt Pooja Ingale & Ishwari Matere 6-2, 7-6(4); Zeel Desai & Punnin Kovapitukted (Tha) bt Akanksha Nitture & Mihika Yadav 6-4, 6-3.