Date:16/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/16/stories/2008061660251700.htm

Sport - Tennis

Ankita, Rushmi start favourites

GURGAON: Rushmi Chakravarthi and Ankita Bhambri will start as favourites to reach their second successive singles final in the $10,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament to be played at the NTA Complex here from Monday.

With Isha Lakhani flying to Turkey for a Challenger event and the second-seeded Nudgnadda Wannasuk of Thailand returning home after an early exit from the tournament last week, Ankita and Rushmi have been seeded No. 1 and No. 2 respectively.

The arrival of Sandhya Nagaraj may add to the competitive flavour of the event, but it is for players like Prerana Mythri, Parija Maloo, Parul Goswami and Sanaa Bhambri to capitalise on the event at home.

With rain having washed away the whole day’s programme on Sunday, the qualifying matches would be continued on Monday.

The seedings: 1. Ankita Bhambri, 2. Rushmi Chakravarthi, 3. Sanaa Bhambri, 4. Sandhya Nagaraj, 5. Prerana Mythri, 6. Parul Goswami, 7. Sung-Hee Han (Kor) and 8. Parija Maloo.

Wild cards: Deepna Vazirani, Kesica Jayapalan, Prerana Bhambri and Savi Sehrawat. — Special Correspondent