Date:29/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/29/stories/2008032961691900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Divij and Vishnu lose

Special Correspondent

GURGAON: Divij Sharan and Vishnu Vardhan went down fighting in the doubles final of the $10,000 ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament at the NTA Complex here on Friday.

The unseeded Indian pair missed a good chance to capture the first set and eventually went down 6-7(7), 4-6 to another unseeded pair of Hsin-Han Lee of Chinese Taipei and Wang Yu jr. of China.

Vishnu failed to serve out at 5-4 in the first set, and the Indian pair also missed a set point at 6-5 in the tie-breaker. The left-right combination of Wang and Lee went through anxious moments when they needed four set points to clinch the first set.

However, once it gained the momentum, the Chinese combination thwarted the Indian duo which played quite well at the net. In the second set, Vishnu dropped serve in the first game and that proved decisive.

The winners collected 12 ATP points and shared $630. The runners-up had to be content with eight ATP points and $330.

Sensational run

In the singles semifinals, Nathan Thompson of USA continued his tremendous run, overwhelming the Chinese Davis Cupper and second-seeded Sun Peng for the loss of just four games.

After making a brisk start, the 25-year-old Thompson turned things around after being 0-2 in the second set. The American has not dropped a set in two weeks, and not more than three games in any set this week.

The results: Singles (semifinals): Mohammad Al Ghareeb (Kuw) bt Roman Jebavy (Cze) 6-4, 7-6(4); Nathan Thompson (USA) bt Sun Peng (Chn) 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles (final): Hsin-Han Lee (Tpe) & Wang Yu jr. (Chn) bt Divij Sharan & Vishnu Vardhan 7-6(7), 6-4.