Nirupama comes good in doubles

TOKYO, APRIL 25. Indian women came back from two set points down in the deciding tie to upset fourth seeded Thailand on the opening day of the Asia Oceania Group I Fed Cup tennis tournament in Osaka on Tuesday.

Top Indian Nirupama Vaidyanathan lost her match in the second singles to tenacious Tamarine Tanasugarn, but returned with fire in the doubles with Manisha Malhotra to stun the Thai pair.

National hardcourt champion Sai Jayalakshmi put India 1-0 ahead beating Napaporn Tongsalee 6-4, 6-2 earlier in the day, but Nirupama's loss to Tanasugarn evened the scores.

Nirupama lost rather tamely to Thai ace Tanasugarn 3- 6, 3-6 dampening Indian spirits for a while. ``I went into the match thinking that singles tie was going to be easy ... It wasn't easy one at all. Tamarine was just better than me and there was nothing that I could do,'' Nirupama said after the match.

But Nirupama, who last week won an ITF women's circuit tournament in New Delhi, teamed up with her regular partner Manisha Malhotra in the deciding doubles of the best-of-three rubber.

Nirupama saved two set points in the first set tie- break before winning it 7-6 (10-8) against the Thai duo of Tanasugarn and Benjamas Sangaram. Gaining confidence, the crack Indian pair rolled past the better rated Thais for a 7-6 (10-8), 6-2 verdict.

India's real test will come on Wednesday against Japan, which had a rest day on Tuesday.

Top seeded Japan will be led by Ai Sugiyama, a better rated singles player than Nirupama and also an accomplished doubles player with a Grand Slam title under her belt.

The win on Tuesday must have given the Indian team management new hope and equation to work upon as the doubles tie could again prove to be crucial.

Kazakhstan managed to score a 2-1 win over Hong Kong thanks to Alissa Velts' 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 win against Olivia Graveraux.

Hong Kong drew level with Ka Po-Tong winning her singles against Valeriya Khazova 6-1, 7-5, but Velts and Khazova teamed up in the doubles and rallied to beat the Hong Kong pair of Ka-Po/Graveraux 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Second seeds China, third seeds Taiwan and Indonesia all won their ties winning both the singles matches in the six- team Pool B.

China defeated South Korea 2-1 as Li Na breezed past Jin-Young 6- 3, 6-3 and Yi Jinggian crushed Cho Yoon-Jeong 6-3, 6- 1. In the inconsequential doubles, Chae Kyung-Yee and Yoon-Jeong beat Na/Ting pair 6-2, 6-2 to earn some consolation.

The results (prefix denotes seeds):

Pool A: India bt 4-Thailand 2-1 Sai Jayalakshmi (Ind) bt Napaporn Tongsalee (Tha) 6-4, 6-2; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Tha) bt Nirupama Vaidyanathan (Ind) 6-3, 6-3; Manisha Malhotra/Nirupama Vaidyanathan (Ind) bt Benjamas Sangaran/Tamarine Tanasugarn (Tha) 7-6 (10-8), 6-20.

Kazakhstan bt Hong Kong 2-1 Alissa Velts (Kaz) bt Olivia Graveraux (HK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Ka Po-Tong (HK) bt Valeriya Khazova (Kaz) 6-1, 7-5; Alissa Velts/Valeriya Khazova (Kaz) bt Tong Ka- Po/Olivia Graveraux (HK) 4-6, 6-3, 6-40.

Pool B: 2-China bt South Korea 2-1 Li Na (Chn) bt Choi Jin-Young (Kor) 6-3, 6-3; Yi Jingqian (Chn) bt Cho Yoon-Jeong (Kor) 6-3, 6- 1; Chae Kyung-Yee/Cho Yoon-Jeong (Kor) bt Li Na/Li Ting (Chn) 6- 2, 6-20.

Indonesia bt New Zealand 3-0 Yayuk Basuki (Ina) bt Rewa Hudson (NZL) 6-0, 6-1; Wynne Prakusya (Ina) bt Leanne Baker (NZL) 6-2, 7-6 (9-7); Yayuk Basuki/Wynne Prakusya (Ina) bt Rewa Hudson/Shelley Stephens (NZL) 6-4, 6-20.

3-Taiwan bt Singapore 3-0 Tai Lan-Lan (Tpe) bt Tina Jacob (Sin) 6-1, 6-2; Janet Lee (Tpe) bt Yik-Hui Leow (Sin) 6-1, 6-0; Janet Lee/Wang Shi-Ting (Tpe) bt Yik-Hui Leow/Simin Liu (Sin) 6-0, 6- 00.

- AFP

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Southern and Western enter quarterfinals
Next     : Indians continue to dominate