Date:22/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/22/stories/2008122256061800.htm

Sport - Tennis

ITF tournament from today

NEW DELHI: It is the end of the season for the tennis players. There is no other tournament in the world for women next week except the $50,000 ITF event to be held at the DLTA Complex here from Monday.

The 135th-ranked Masa Zec-Peskiric of Slovenia, the 167th-ranked Margit Ruutel of Estonia and the 186th-ranked Sandra Zahlavova of the Czech Republic among others have opted to gain valuable points and prize money rather than celebrate Christmas at home.

There is no Sania Mirza or Sunitha Rao. Shikha Uberoi has fallen so much in the rankings that she required a wild card to enter the tournament.

Shalini Sahoo was the only Indian qualifier to enter the main draw. Though she squandered a lead of 5-1 in the first set tie-break, Shalini served and stroked with confidence in scripting a memorable 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 6-3 victory over Aleksandra Filipovski of Hungary in the third and final qualifying round.

The seedings: 1. Masa Zec-Peskiric (Slo), 2. Margit Ruutel (Est), 3. Sandra Zahlavova (Cze), 4. Anna Gerasimou (Gre).

5. Melanie Klaffner (Aut), 6. Florence Haring (Fra), 7. I-Hsuan Hwang (Tpe), 8. Yuliya Beygelzimer (Ukr). — Special Correspondent