Sonal, Zhibek set up a title clash

In the second semifinal, second seed Zhibek Kulambayeva played a brilliant game against Zeel Desai (S3). Both players played from the baseline but it was Zhibek who showed her class and why she is a higher ranked player by executing some brilliant drop shots which unfortunately Zeel could not pick up. Zeel was nursing a shoulder injury but had come prepared for the tournament, yet when it mattered, her injury flared up and did not allow her to give her hundred percent.

Zhibek- Yashiak duo wins doubles crown

In the women’s doubles final, top seeded pair of Zhibek Kulambayeva (Kazakstan) and Ekaterina Yashika (Russia) beat the Russian duo of Elina Nepliy and Ksenia Laskutova in a thrilling super tie break that went down to the wire. The first set went to Elina and partner 7-5 where neither was making any errors and both fought hard. In the second set Ms Zhibek and partner came back strong and levelled the match with a 6-4 set win. In the super tie-break that followed, it was brutal as Zhibek raced to a lead. Then Ms Elina and partner came close to level up, and in the end, it was one pair who kept their cool and raced to the finish line with a 10-6 win for the title.