The Hindu : Sport : Qureshi aces his way to the semifinals

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Friday, Nov 30, 2007
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Qureshi aces his way to the semifinals

Principal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi moved a step closer to realising his dream of winning a Challenger series tournament with a clinical 6-2, 6-3 demolition of top seeded Ivo Minar here on Thursday.

The champion from Pakistan fired 16 aces as he outclassed the Czech in just 53 minutes to cruise into the semifinals of the ONGC $50,000 ATP Challenger tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex.

Qureshi, who missed the Nottingham Challenger title in July by a whisker, will next meet eighth seeded Adrian Cruciat of Romania. Cruciat, ranked 220 in the world, beat fourth seeded Rik de Voest of South Africa 7-6(3), 6-1.

Deadly beginning

Qureshi began sending down three aces in the opening game of the match before a double fault crept in. Sensing that Minar was still recovering from such a start, engaged Minar in long rallies before breaking the top seed in the second game. Leading 5-2 through a break up, Qureshi took the first set as Minar double-faulted twice.

Qureshi’s consistency with the aces was such that he sent down at least one in every service game on Thursday. Three double faults, all coming in the first set, were just an aberration.

Qureshi kept up the momentum in the second set also, sending down three aces in the opening game before opening up 4-1 lead by breaking Minar in the fourth game.

Serving for the match, Qureshi won the ninth game at love, closing it with two successive aces to wrap it up.

In the bottom half of the draw, Korea’s Jae Sung An shocked South African seventh seed Wesley Moodie 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. An will next meet Martin Slanar.

Bopanna in doubles final

Qureshi then paired up with his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna to make it to the final.

The second seeded duo, who defeated Benjamin Balleret of Monaco and Sebastien de Chaunac of France, will meet South African combine of Rik de Voest and Wesley Moodie in the summit clash.

The results:

Singles: Quarterfinals: Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pak) bt Ivo Minar (Cze) 6-2, 6-3; Adrian Cruciat (Rou) bt Rik De Voest (Rsa) 7-6(3), 6-1; Martin Slanar (Aut) bt Dieter Kindlmann (Ger) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Jae Sung An (Kor) bt Wesley Moodie (Rsa) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Semifinals: Moodie & de Voest bt Pavel Chekhov (Rus) & Michail Elgin (Rus) 6-7(4), 6-4, 16-14; Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Qureshi bt Benjamin Balleret (Mon) & Sebastien de Chaunac (Fra) 7-6(10), 7-6(4).

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