The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Shweta Chandra enters semifinals

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Shweta Chandra enters semifinals

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Qualifier Shweta Chandra Rana was a small bundle of energy as she bounced with determination in blasting her way past the second-seeded Sweta Kumari Solanki 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals of the DSCL National women’s tennis championship at the DLTA Complex here on Thursday.

The 15-year-old Shweta, who has been training hard with coach Shalini Thakur at the same venue in recent weeks, was able to lift her game when required as she had an intense approach.

The diminutive girl kept letting out war cries throughout the entertaining contest that spanned an hour and 35 minutes, as she goaded herself to the desired goal.

With variety, punch and direction in her groundstrokes, Shweta was able to dictate the rallies, though she was reluctant to pounce on the openings at the net.

No clarity of approach

It was disappointment for the 17-year-old Sweta Kumari as she had the game but not the clarity of approach. She had lost in the final of the National junior championship last week, and had looked a good bet for the women’s title till she found her match. With her good returns, Shweta was able to break Sweta Kumari thrice each in the two sets, and it was a tame finish, as there was no fight in the second set.

In the semifinals, Shweta will challenge seventh-seeded Geeta Manohar whose flat strokes on either flank proved too much for qualifier Sayali Bhilare.

Geeta cruised home for the loss of four games, unleashing her unorthodox strokes with great effect.

Shalini cruises

In the top half, the top-seeded Shalini Sahoo did not break into a sweat in sailing past qualifier Sowjanya Bavisetti for the loss of two games.

She will face Ratnika Batra who is out to add to her collection of the national under-14 and under-16 titles that she had won last year.

While the wiry Shalini has dropped eight games in all in three matches, the stocky Ratnika has dropped only six so far.

There was some cheer for Sayali Bhilare, as she in partnership with Arantxa Andrady made the doubles final.

The fourth-seeded Treta Bhattacharya and Shalini Sahoo was the other pair to make the final.

The challenge for the girls will be to play their best tennis in front of the television cameras on Friday, as Doordarshan will telecast the singles semifinals and doubles final live.

Geeta Manohar and Shweta Chandra Rana will play the first match at 9 a.m., and the other singles match will follow, while the doubles final is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The results: Singles (quarterfinals): Shalini Sahoo bt Sowjanya Bavisetti 6-1, 6-1; Ratnika Batra bt P. A. Sindhu Nila 6-1, 6-0; Geeta Manohar bt Sayali Bhilare 6-2, 6-2; Shweta Chandra Rana bt Sweta Kumari Solanki 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles (semifinals): Arantxa Andrady and Sayali Bhilare bt Sowjanya Bavisetti and P. A. Sindhu Nila 6-4, 6-2; Treta Bhattacharya and Shalini Sahoo bt Tanvi Gupta and Richa Valecha 6-0, 6-1.

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