The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Sanaa Bhambri in final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 21, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Sanaa Bhambri in final

Special Correspondent

GURGAON: Sanaa Bhambri played her usual gutsy game to blunt the attacking style of Parija Maloo for a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 victory in the semifinals of the $10,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the NTA Complex here on Friday.

The 18-year-old Parija, with an attractive array of strokes on both the flanks had the game to tease the seasoned Sanaa, but did not have the patience or the belief in her ability to convert her technical supremacy and athletic efficiency for a favourable result.

Meek surrender

After a gripping fight for two sets, Parija made a meek surrender in the climax as she got broken in the fourth, sixth and eighth games of the decider.

Parija had started well in the third set by going up a break, but was unable to stand up to the defensive tactics of her crafty opponent.

Credit to Sanaa for her fighting spirit as she bounced back from 2-4 to pocket the first set, which was crucial for her in the overall context.

Parija could feel happy about winning her maiden doubles title with Sung-Hee Han of Korea, as the duo pipped the second-seeded Cassandra Chan and Julia Moriarty of Australia in the final.

The Korean Han put her in line for a double as she made the singles final at the expense of the six-foot tall Poojashree Venkatesh.

The fact that she had squandered an advantageous position the previous week against the same opponent at the same venue plagued the mind of Poojashree and the Mysore girl, set to play the Wimbledon junior event, could not unleash her best game.

The results:

Singles (semifinals): Sanaa Bhambri bt Parija Maloo 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Sung-Hee Han (Kor) bt Poojashree Venkatesh 6-1, 7-6(5).

Doubles (final): Sung-Hee Han (Kor) and Parija Maloo bt Cassandra Chan and Julia Moriarty (Aus) 6-3, 6-4.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport