The Hindu : Madhura prevails over Sandhya

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 06, 2003

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Madhura prevails over Sandhya

INDORE MAY 5. Madhura Ranganathan won a tussle between hyperactive youngsters, thwarting qualifier Sandhya Nagaraj's ambitions in a three-setter in an intense singles first round match of the $5000 International Tennis Federation's Women's Circuit first leg on Monday.

One of the three Indians to be given wildcards, Madhura won 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 for a second round clash with eighth seed Preeti Rao.

The event is sponsored by BSNL.

Madhura's steadier serves enabled her edge out a gritty opponent after both showed an inclination for positive play on the Tennis Club hardcourts, duelling for one hour, 57 minutes in a well-contested first round tie, among the seven on cards.

Sandhya was broken once in the first set, but then got her act together to manage two breaks in the second which she won.

However, the wildcard asserted herself in the decider, winning games off her rival's serve thrice to squeak home.

The other games produced no surprises, third seed Archana Venkataraman and eighth seed Preeti Rao winning opening matches without working up a sweat, winning in straight sets.

Archana later teamed up with Liza Pereira to begin with a victory in the women's doubles opener, defeating the Indo-Japan pair of Asha Nandakumar and Aya Oasa 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

The results (Indians unless specified): Singles (first round): Parul Goswami bt Nitisha Deodhar 6-1, 6-2; Archana Venkataraman bt Pallavi Sharma 6-0, 6-1; Kamini Murugabhoopathy bt Asha Nandakumar 6-3, 6-4; Yamini Thukkaiandi bt Jung-Yoon Shin (Korea) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4; Ragini Vimal bt Deepa Chakrabarthy 6-3, 6-1; Preeti Rao bt Vishika Chhetri 6-1, 6-2; Madhura Ranganathan bt Sandhya Nagaraj 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Doubles (first round): Archana Venkataraman & Liza Pereira bt Aya Oasa (Jpn) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

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