Date:01/02/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/02/01/stories/2003020104402300.htm

Sport - Tennis

Vishaal Uppal advances

NEW DELHI JAN. 31. The third-seeded Vishaal Uppal and Lauri Kiiski of Finland moved into the doubles quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Alun Jones and Damien Ward of Australia in the first week of the Uncle Tobys International Australian Satellite tennis circuit in Wollongong.

Vishaal, however, did not have much success in singles, as he lost in the third qualifying round in a draw of 128 in which he was seeded third. Vishal went down 4-6, 0-6 to Sebastian Swierk of Australia after having beaten Andrew Roberts 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 and Jonathan Deen 6-3, 6-1 in the first two rounds.

Gurmehar Singh was the other Indian to win at least a round in the qualifying event, which he did by beating Chris Lamb of Australia 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. He also fell to Swierk 6-7 (3-7), 2-6.

Ashutosh Singh lost to Robert Phillips 2-6, 4-6 while Amit Singh went down 0-6, 1-6 to wild card Tane Rakete in other first round matches of the qualifying event.