Mumbai, Feb 8 The impressive runs of Indian challengers Sahaja Yamalapalli Rutuja Bhosale came to an end as both of them went down fighting in their pre-quarterfinal matches of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships here on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Yamalapalli, a wild card entrant and ranked 336 had a chance against the 162nd-ranked 20-year-old Russian girl but blew them away and suffered a 6-1, 3-6, 5-7 defeat in close to two hours in the event organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI), and played under floodlights at the CCI courts.
Bhosale, another wildcard entrant showed a lot of promise initially before losing to eighth seed Katie Volynets of America earlier in the day.
The 22-year-old American beat back a determined challenge from the 27-year-old Indian by carving out a satisfying 7-6(8), 2-6, 6-1 win in just under three hours to advance to the last eight. Volynets has now defeated a second successive Indian opponent after having beaten India No. 1 Ankita Raina in the opening round.
In the quarterfinals, Volynets will take on South Korea’s Sohyun Park, who defeated Italy’s Camilla Rosatello 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in a battle between two lucky losers.
Meanwhile, Russian teen sensation Alina Korneeva has withdrawn from the competition. The 16-year-old Korneeva, winner of two Grand Slam girls’ singles titles, is down with a viral illness and will not take on Australia's Storm Hunter in the quarterfinals.
In doubles action, India’s top-ranked doubles player Prarthana Thombare and Dutch partner Arianne Hartono stormed into the doubles semi-finals. The unseeded duo scored a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over the Greek-Aussie combination of Sapfo Sakellaridi/Olivia Tjandramulia to set up a semi-final clash against Sohyun Park/Zhibek Kulambayeva.
In the first singles match of the day, Japanese Moyuka Uchijima also reached the last eight with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi.
Results:
Singles Second Round: 8-Katie Volynets (USA) bt WC-Rutuja Bhosale (IND) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1; Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) bt Dalma Galfi (HUN) 6-2, 6-1; LL-Sohyun Park (KOR) bt LL-Camilla Rosatello (ITA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3; Polina Kudermetova bt Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Doubles quarterfinals:
Arianne Hartono (NED)/Prarthana Thombare (IND) def. Sapfo Sakellaridi (GRE)/Olivia Tjandramulia (AUS) 6-4, 6-2; Naiktha Bains (GBR)/Fanny Stollar (HUN) def. Anastasia Tikhonova/Motuka Uchijima (JPN) 6-2, 6-2.
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