The calls for foot fault and late calls on the baseline spiced up the contest but Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh kept their cool and explored their explosive game to outwit the Koreans, Cho Minhyeok and Nam Ji Sung 6-3, 6-4 in the men’s doubles first round of the Asian Games at the Yeorumul Complex on Thursday.
The Indian pair, quite a handful with big serves and razor sharp volleys, not to forget the powerful ground strokes overcame a spirited challenge from the Koreans. It became a game of wits as Saketh was called for foot fault four times, including once on the decisive point in the ninth game of the first set.
Even though the Indian pair complained to the chair umpire, the duo quite professionally raised the game to a different level.
It looked to be developing into a thriller when the Koreans broke Saketh’s serve in the second game of the second set and held on to take a 3-0 lead.
Sanam and Saketh came up with strong serves and delectable volleys at this stage to recover the momentum and put the teams on par at 3-3, breaking the Koreans in the fifth game. Sanam smacked a return winner in the ninth game to seal the decisive break. Thereafter, Saketh served out the match.
The results: Men (second round): Sanam Singh bt Abdul Hameed Al Shatti (Kuw) 6-1, 6-2; Yuki Bhambri bt Jabor Mohammed Al Mutawa (Qat) 6-1, 6-0. Doubles (first round): Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh bt Cho Minhyeok and Nam Ji Sung (Kor) 6-3, 6-4.
Women (second round): Ankita Raina bt Dulguunjargal Gotov (Mgl) 6-0, 6-0. Doubles (second round): Shuko Aoyama and Eri Hozumi (Jpn) bt Shweta Rana and Rishika Sunkara 6-1, 6-4.
Mixed doubles (first round) : Divij Sharan and Ankita Raina bt Isa Mammetgulyyev and Anastasiya Prenko (Tkm) 6-4, 6-1.
