Date:19/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/19/stories/2008091962432200.htm

Sport - Tennis

Gowda to fight it out with Thien

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Unseeded Vinod Gowda stormed into the final of the ATF under-14 ranking junior tennis championship at the Bowring Institute courts, beating the third seed Naruka Digvijay in straight sets 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals here on Thursday.

The lopsided encounter, which lasted little less than an hour, saw Vinod blasting winners on both flanks. Digvijay failed to keep up with his pace and succumbed easily.

In the final, Vinod takes on the fifth-seeded Thien Nugyen Hoang of Vietnam, who made short work of Alla Abhishek 6-1, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

Backhand winners

Thien tormented and teased his rival with clever angles and whipped down some solid backhand winners. Later in the day, Thien also made the doubles final, partnering Vishal Passi. In the girls’ singles semifinals, top-seeded Tarranum Handa swept past Swetha Srihari 6-2, 6-4.

Rimpledeep Kaur, who has been playing well in this event, surprised the second seed Theiviya Selvaraju of Malaysia at 7-6(5), 6-2.

The results (Indians unless specified): Semifinals: Boys: Singles: Thien Nugyen Hoang (Viet) bt Alla Abhisehk 6-1, 6-2; Vinod Gowda bt Naruka Digvijay 6-1, 6-0.

Doubles (mini sets): Syed Muhhamad Agil (Mas) & Yash Deshpande bt Naruka Digvijay & Rishab Dev 4-1, 5-4(5); Vishal Passi & Thien Nguyen Hoang bt Alla Abhishek & Anshu Kumar Bhuyan 4-0, 4-1.

Girls: Singles: Rimpledeep Kaur bt Theiviiya Selvaraju (Mas) 7-6(5), 6-2; Tarrunam Handa bt Swetha Srihari 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles: Sai Samhita & Iska Teertha bt Tarranum Handa & Sirija 4-2, 3-5, 10-3 (super tie-break); Jasmine Kaur Bajaj & Pooja Kudesia bt Preethi Gokhale & S.P. Ritu 4-0, 4-0.