Friday, Jan 10, 2003
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Tennis
By Kamesh Srinivasan
Orest Tereshchuk of Ukraine in action in the ITF men's Futures championship in Lucknow onThursday. — Photo: R.V. Moorthy
The 560th ranked Harsh denied the rhythm for the 613th ranked Belarussian with his teasing drops, some of them quite audacious with his return of serve, and deceptive slice. Harsh also served smoothly and stroked with confidence, as much as with intelligence, in racing to a 6-1, 4-1 lead. There was a break in the intensity of focus for Harsh, perhaps because things were moving far too smoothly for him, and as per his plan. Harsh dropped serve in the sixth game as Chvets unleashed a flurry of passing shots, as a last hurrah, on a court that was a lot more dry than the previous days. Harsh broke back for 5-2 and was serving for he match, but dropped three matchpoints as Chvets played some inspired shots in hanging on to slender hope. Of course, the Indian Davis Cupper was quite solid overall and there was no fear of the match drifting into a third set. Yet, Harsh missed two more match-points on Chvets' serve in the ninth game, before the latter brought the curtains down by hitting the net. ``I am happy with the way I am playing. He held serve only twice in the match, so I was not really worried in the end, when I missed those match-points'', said Harsh, even as he emphasised that one had to be ready for the change every day in the behaviour of the surface, because of varying degrees of moisture. ``My semifinal opponent, Todor Enev of Bulgaria, is a solid baseiner. I have to play my best, but I am optimistic'', said Harsh, who has won two titles from four finals at this level. The fifth-seeded Enev knocked out the fourth-seeded Dong-Hyun Kim of Korea for the loss of six games. The Bulgarian has dorpped 16 games in three rounds as compared to nine games by Harsh. ``It is good to mix it up on this surface. I have been trying to add the serve and volley aspect to my overall game, and grass gives me that option to use it more'', said Harsh. In a battle of two qualifiers, the second-seeded Orest Tereshchuk of Ukraine prevailed over Naim Lalji of Britain 6-3, 6-2. In fact, the 22-year-old Tereshchuk has dropped only 11 games in three rounds, after having won two rounds in the qualifying event for the loss of six games. ``I did't want to play the tournament initially and then changed mind. That is how I had to play the qualifying event. But it has helped me to get used to the surface, as it is my first tournament on grass'', said the Ukrainian, who has won three Futures titles in Georgia, Latvia and Russia, apart from reaching the final of a Challenger in Germany. The 18-year-old Lalji has had a dream run in making his way to his maiden quarterfinals, after negotiating three rounds in the qualifying event. For one who had not crossed the first round before, it was a big effort for Lalji. Tereshchuk will be up against the third-seeded Satoshi Iwabuchi of Japan who pipped Tomislav Peric of Croatia 7-6 (7-2), 6-4. The left-handed Japanese is a crafty customer and has an all-round game, not to forget immense patience, to trouble anyone in this tournament. Iwabuchi is perhaps an early bird, trying to study the Indian conditions, especially grass, before the Asia-Oceania Group `I' Davis Cup tie between Japan and India to be played in Delhi in February. In doubles, the Indian challenge ended as the top-seeded Mustafa Ghouse and Vijay Kannan went down in three tie-breaks after saving two match-points in the decider, against Indonesians Hendri Susilo Promono and Febi Widhiyanto. Harsh Mankad and Ajay Ramaswamy saved a match-point in the tenth game of the decider to take the contest into the tie-break, but missed a match-point themselves, to bow out in another thriller against Satoshi Iwabuchi of Japan and Dong Hyun Kim of Korea. The results (quarterfinals): Singles: Harsh Mankad bt Vitali Chvets (Blr) 6-1 6-3; Todor Enev (Bul) bt Dong-Hyun Kim (Kor) 6-2, 6-4; Satoshi Iwabuchi (Jpn) bt Tomislav Peric (Cro) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; Orest Tereshchuk (Ukr) bt Naim Lalji (GBR) 6-3, 6-2. Doubles: Hendri Susilo Promono & Febi Widhiyanto (Ina) bt Mustafa Ghouse & Vijay Kannan 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (8-6); Satoshi Iwabuchi (Jpn) & Dong Hyun Kim (Kor) bt Harsh Mankad & Ajay Ramaswamy 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-6 (8-6); Todor Enev (Bul) & Rafael Moreno-Negrin (Esp) bt Mikael Elgin & Pavel Lobanov (Rus) 6-3, 6-2; Peter Handoyo & Suwandi Suwandi (Ina) bt Vitaly Chvets (Blr) & Orest Tereshchuk (Ukr) 6-2, 6-3.
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