Yuki Bhambri surived a match-point, took the match into the decider against Mikhail Kukushkin, but the Kazakhs proved sharp at the crunch in getting past India in both the men’s and women’s quarterfinals at the Yeoromul tennis courts here on Monday.
Sanam Singh had earlier fought brilliantly against the 99th ranked Aleksandr Nedovyesov before going down in two tie-breaks. Yuki, after a sluggish start, was at his fluent best as he rallied strongly against the 73rd ranked Mikhail Kukushkin, but allowed his grip to slip.
It was a memorable turn around, as Kukushkin was serving for the match in the twelfth game of the second set. In the tie-break, the 26-year-old Kazakh served an ace to reach the first match-point, before Yuki forced him to put a forehand long, and swiftly took the match into the decider.
However, Yuki was unable to sustain the good work lost the last five games, winning a mere six points in all. It was an anticlimactic end to an otherwise absorbing contest.
Even though the tie was sealed, Saketh Myneni and Divij Sharan combined to win the doubles rubber against Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov, 7-5, 7-5.
In the women’s quarterfinals, Ankita Raina played well to stop the 65th ranked Yaroslava Shvedova from serving out the match in the tenth game of the second set.
However, the 27-year-old Kazakh handled the tie-break with competence by running up a 4-1 lead, and pulled through without much fuss, for a 7-5, 7-6(3) victory.
Prarthana Thombare played well earlier, but was unable to win more than five games against Yuliya Putintseva in the first rubber. The Kazakhs decided to preserve themselves for the semifinals against Chinese Taipei by retiring in the doubles after five games.
Defending men’s champion, Chinese Taipei was beaten 2-1 by China. Chinese Taipei women got past Thailand in the doubles. China and Japan made both the men’s and women’s semifinals and will face each other.
The results (quarterfinals): Men: Kazakhstan bt India 2-1 (Aleksandr Nedovyesov bt Sanam Singh 7-6(5), 7-6(3); Mikhail Kukushkin bt Yuki Bhambri 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-1; Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov lost to Saketh Myneni and Divij Sharan 5-7, 5-7).
Women : Kazakhstan bt India 2-1 (Yuliya Putintseva bt Prarthana Thombare 6-3, 6-2; Yaroslava Shvedova bt Ankita Raina 7-5, 7-6(3); Kamila Kerimbayeva and Yuliya Putintseva lost to Natasha Palha and Rishika Sunkara 2-3 (retired).