Former champion Vishnu Vardhan was at his fighting best as he beat another former champion Siddharth Vishwakarma 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(6) in the men’s quarterfinals of the Fenesta National tennis championship at the DLTA Complex on Friday.
The 35-year-old Vishnu, who had competed in the London Olympics with Leander Paes, converted his second match point to emerge victorious in the marathon battle against the wiry Vishwakarma, equally at his competent best.
In the semifinals, Vishnu will play second seed and the runner-up of the last edition Digvijay Pratap Singh who was at ease in getting past Ishaque Eqbal.
In the top half, Chirag Duhan beat third seed Nitin Kumar Sinha 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 to set up the semifinal against top seed Manish Sureshkumar.
In the women’s section, second seed Sai Samhitha had to battle past Sandeepti Singh Rao 6-3, 7-5. She will play Akanksha Nitture in the semifinals. Akanksha stopped the fine run of the 15-year-old Sahira Singh for the loss of four games.
Top seed Vaidehi Chaudhari will play the other semifinal against Vaishnavi Adkar.
The results (quarterfinals):
Men: Manish Sureshkumar bt Ojes Theyjo 6-1, 6-0; Chirag Duhan bt Nitin Kumar Sinha 7-5, 3-6, 6-1; Vishnu Vardhan bt Siddharth Vishwakarma 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(6); Digvijay Pratap Singh bt Ishaque Eqbal 6-3, 6-3.
Women: Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Farhat Aleen Qamar 6-1, 6-2; Vaishnavi Adkar bt Yubarani Banerjee 6-4, 6-0; Akanksha NItture bt Sahira Singh 6-1, 6-3; Sai Samhitha bt Sandeepti Singh Rao 6-3, 7-5.
Under-18 boys: Aman Dahiya bt Rethin Pranav 6-4, 6-1; Daksh Prasad bt Tejas Ahuja 6-2, 6-1; Adhirit Awal bt Gagan Vimal 6-4, 6-3; Denim Yadav bt Prajwal Tewari 6-4, 6-4.
Under-18 girls: Reshma Maruri bt Hitakamya Singh Narwal 6-1, 6-3; Lakshmi Prabha bt Sonal Patil 6-3, 6-2; Ruma Gaikaiwari bt Lakshmi Gowda 6-0, 6-1; Madhurima Sawant bt Abhaya Vemuri 2-6, 6-1, 7-5.
= = = EOM
