Sport - Tennis   

Diana dumps Megha

By Nandakumar Marar

Indonesia's Diana Julianto launches into a forehand in the clash with sixth-seeded Megha Vakharia of India in the ITF women's futures tennis tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday. — Photo: Vivek Bendre

MUMBAI APRIL 8. Megha Vakharia allowed frustrations to overwhelm thinking, leading to her defeat at the hands of unseeded Diana Julianto on a humid day when other seeded Indians remained on course in the $10,000 ITF women's Futures, sponsored by Mother's Recipe, at Shivaji Park Gymkhana courts.

The sixth-seed became the biggest seed to feel the heat in the first round on Tuesday as her Indonesian opponent grabbed the chance to win 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Diana next takes on Great Britain's Natalie Neri for a quarterfinal berth.

Megha is known to revel in tough situations, though consistency is not her forte. She can be forceful or erratic and can be a more formidable challenger in the senior ranks with a more stable game.

The Indonesian just waited for mistakes and after saving two break points in the second, followed by a break up in the fifth, began posing problems with a steady, unspectacular baseline play.

Both began getting into the groove before Megha broke back with difficulty in the eighth by cashing in on the fourth breakpoint. Diana showed a streak of determination as the set moved into the tie-breaker and went 4-0 up before her rival woke up to narrow the deficit to 3-5.

A confident Diana strode around court in the second set, showing cheek to even poach a few points at the net on occasions and increase Megha's frustrations. Both traded breaks — three by the Indonesian to Megha's two — in a charged up atmosphere to lift the contest between baseline duellists to a different level.

Isha Lakhani conceded her first round match against Portugal's Diana Costa due to a back problem after just one game into the first set, while qualifier Ludmilla Rozsivalova from the Czech Republic extended her run in the ITF Mumbai week over three sets against wildcard Archana Venkataraman.

The winner clashes with Sai Jayalakshmy, the third seeded Indian defeating compatriot Sonal Phadke via the short route to join last week finalists Akgul Amanmuradova and Rushmi Chakravarthy in the pre-quarterfinals.

The results (Indians unless specified, first round): 2-Rushmi Chakravarthy bt Ankita Bhambri 6-1, 7-5; Diana Costa (Por) bt Isha Lakhani 1-0 (concd); 4-Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzb) bt Yael Glitzenshtein (Isr) 6-1, 6-3; Natalie Neri (GBR) bt Arthi Venkataraman 6-3, 6-2; 5-Chin-Bee Khoo (Mal) bt Georgette Wright (U.S.) 6-4, 6-4; Diana Julianto (Ina) bt 6-Megha Vakharia 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-2; Ludmila Rozsivalova (Cze) bt Archana Venkataraman 7-5, 5-7, 6-1; 3-Sai Jayalakshmy bt Sonal Phadke 6-1, 6-2; Liza Pereira bt Carly Homewood (GBR) 6-4, 7-6 (9-7)

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

Chess

• Indian teams unbeaten on opening day
• Iran's arrival prevents bad blood
  
  Cricket
  
• Pakistan mauls Kenya
• Hooper opts out; King turns down offer
  
  Football
  
• Ronaldo plays the smiling assassin
  
  Golf
  
• Early exit for Jeev, Mukesh
  
  Racing : Motor
  
• Kato still unconscious
  
  Sports : General
  
• Lakshman Singh faces life-ban as IOA confirms dope cases
  
  Tennis
  
• Diana dumps Megha
• Coetzer made to sweat
  
  Volleyball
  
• North Korea stuns China; Easy for India, Australia
  
  

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu