Sonal survives the Megha thunderbolts; Sheetal-Liza pair triumphs

By Nandakumar Marar

MUMBAI, JUNE 8. Sonal Phadke withstood Megha Vakharia's onslaught in a match which would have been more appropriate as the final clash. The top-seed won the first women's singles semifinal 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in the International Tennis Federation women's Circuit first leg at the Dr. G.A. Ranade courts on Friday, setting up a title match against unseeded Samrita Sekar against whom she has a 5-0 head-to-head record. The second semifinal saw the sole surviving unseeded player in the singles draw overcome a defensive Archana Venkataraman 6-4, 6-3 in 75 minutes.

Phadke has improved with every outing and is a different player from the rusty top-seed who lost the very first set in the first round. She is poised to clinch the singles title, having won all previous matches against challenger Sekar, but is not taking any opponent lightly. ``I have been playing well so far, but cannot take anything for granted. I want to get better,'' she said. She has really shown a willingness to work hard on court instead of banking on her reputation as a strokemaker.

The pressure will be on Phadke, as Sekar pointed out when asked about her prospects in Saturday's title clash. ``This is my first ITF singles final. And as the underdog, I am looking forward to going out on court and playing my normal game instead of thinking of what will happen,'' said the strapping 17-year-old Chennai player who crept quietly up the draw.

Her confidence will have received a big boost after a semifinal victory over experienced Archana Venkataraman, no mean achievement for a youngster not having done enough so far to be included among the seeds. ``This is the first time I have beaten Archana. The last time I faced her was in a semifinal at Chennai which I lost. This time, everything went according to plan.''

Phadke's singles exertions affected her performance in the doubles final, scheduled immediately after the second singles semifinals was over, losing 4-6, 3-6 to Sheetal Goutham and Liza Pereira, an established pair. She partnered Karishma Patel, but their combined firepower was not enough to quell the second- seeded combination, the Bangalore-based Goutham and the Mumbai- based Pereira showing better courtcraft and consistency at the back to win the title and carry home a purse of Rs. 14,750 jointly. The losers got Rs. 8,000.

Vakharia, seeded sixth in the singles draw, was unwell even before the semifinal commenced and got weaker as the match stretched to three sets. After losing the first set 3-6, dropping serve twice, she switched into an attacking mode in the second set, hitting punishing forehand drives, double-handed backhand passing shots and even served two aces. It appeared as if she wanted to wrap the second set as fast as possible, tactics which worked with two breaks coming her way as Phadke began to feel the heat of a barrage of shots from across the set.

However, the top-seed gained the upperhand again in the decider, punishing every weak return by coming to the net and finishing off the point with a flourish. Both players exchanged breaks in the first two games, then volleying errors by a tiring Vakharia enabled her gain two more breaks - the sixth (4-2) and eighth (6- 2) - to wrap up the match after spending one hour, 22 minutes on court.

Phadke in this mood, will be a difficult nut to crack for Sekar. The top-seed serves with a little more power and has become confident enough to switch from a one-dimensional baseline game for a more varied, adventurous approach.

The strapping Sekar banked on rasping forehands to notch her first victory over Archana Venkataraman, considered a formidable rival on any day because of her ability to somehow keep the ball in play. Two doubtful line-calls in the sixth game of the first set only increased the second-seed's determination, but was not enough to change the outcome of the match against a rank outsider who could not be denied her due, managing four breaks in the second set as against two by Archana.

* The results: Singles (semifinals): 1-Sonal Phadke bt 6- Megha Vakharia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2; Samrita Sekar bt 2-Archana Venkataraman 6-4, 6-3.

Doubles (final): Sheetal Goutham/Liza Pereira bt 1-Sonal Phadke/Karishma Patel 6-4, 6-3; Semifinals: Goutham/Pereira bt 3- Archana/Arti Venkataraman 4-6, 6-2, 6-4; Phadke/Patel bt 4-S. Sekhar/Yamini Thukkaiandi 6-1, 6-0.

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