Date:23/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122357431800.htm

Sport - Tennis

Mixed luck for Anthony Savio

BANGALORE: A couple of upsets marked the opening round of the Mahila Seva Samaja AITA Talent Series (under-14 & 16) championship which got underway at MSS courts here on Monday.

Qualifier Anthony Savio of Karnataka had mixed fortunes. He beat the eighth seed R. Shashank 6-3, 6-1 in the boys’ under-14 singles. He, however, went down to another qualifier Evans Mirjakar 6-3, 3-6, 4-6 in the under-16 singles. In another under-16 singles tie, K. Basavaraj defeated eighth seeded P.S. Gagan 6-2, 6-2

The top seed S. Raghavendra advanced to the last 16 round with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Nischal Nadamuni and the second seeds. Kishan struggled to beat R. Shanshank 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.

In the girls’ section, all fancied players including Preethi Gokhale, S.P. Ritu and Rachita Sarda moved up with easy wins.

As many as 58 matches were played in both the boys’ and girls’ under-14 and under-16 sections during the day.