Photo –JVPG, Dalwinder Singh: National champion and second seed, Dalwinder Singh of Punjab makes a forehand return to Maharashtra's Dhruv Sunish in a men’s singles second round match of the AITA Ranking Rs 22 lakh prize-money JVPG Anirudh Desai All-India Open Tennis Tournament 2018, at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana’s tennis courts on Thursday.
2nd seed Dalwinder, 3rd seed Sureshkumar storm into final eight
Mumbai, February 8:
National champion and second seed Dalwinder Singh of Punjab and third seed Manish Sureshkumar of Tamil Nadu stormed into the men’s singles quarter-finals, of the AITA Ranking Rs 22 lakh prize-money JVPG Anirudh Desai All-India Open Tennis Tournament 2018, at the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana’s tennis courts on Thursday.
The 21-year-old Punjab player with his strong serves and powerful all-round play sidelined 18-year-old Dhruv Sunish of Maharashtra, winning in two sets 6-3, 6-4 in a second round match. The lean and well-built Dalwinder faced a initial resistance from the younger Maharashtra player and did well to save a break in the fifth. But, he hit back hard by breaking Dhruv in the sixth to open up a 4-2 lead before going on to claim the first set in 36 minutes.
Dalwinder continued to call the shots in the second and with a break in the fifth went on to win the second to wrap up the match and take his place in the last eight.
Earlier, 18-year-old Manish Sureshkumar quashed the aspiration of his state mate 16-year-old Madhwin Kamath in straight sets. Sureshkumar had things completely under control and raced to a 6-3, 6-4 victory. In the round of eight, Sureshkumar will take on Karnataka’s sixth seed Prajwal Dev who prevailed over Paramveer Singh Bajwa of Punjab winning 6-1, 6-2.
In women’s second round matches, fourth seed Nithyaraj Baburaj (TN) defeated Sravya Shivani (TS) 7-6(2), 6-1, while sixth seed Humera Shaikh (TS) rallied to beat unseeded Swetha Banerjee (WB) 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Meanwhile, fifth seed Eetee Maheta failed to cross the second hurdle going down tamely to unheralded Bhuvana Kalva 2-6, 5-7.
Eighth seed Nidhi Chilumula (TS) had an easy second round outplaying Pareen Shivekar (MH) 6-1, 6-1 to also advance to the quarters.
Results – Women’s singles (2nd round): 8-Nidhi Chilumula (TS) bt Pareen Shivekar (MH) 6-1, 6-1; 4-Nithyaraj Baburaj (TN) bt Sravya Shivani (TS) 7-6(2), 6-1; Dedeepya Sai (TS) bt Dakshata Patel (MH) 6-4, 6-3;Bhuvana Kalva bt 5-Eetee Maheta (GJ) 6-2, 7-5; Mihika Yadav (MH) bt Shreya Tatavarthy (AP) 1-3 (conceded);6-Humera Shaikh (TS) bt Swetha Banerjee 5-7, 6-2, 6-1;
Men’s singles (2nd round): Prajwal Dev (KA) bt Paramveer Singh Bajwa (PB) 6-1, 6-2; 3-Manish Sureshkumar (TN) bt Madhwin Kamath (TN) 6-3, 6-4; 2-Dalwinder Singh (PB) bt Dhruv Sunish (MH) 6-3, 6-4; Prenamallur Vignesh (AP) bt 8-Faisal Qamar (RJ) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Mix Doubles (1st round): Anvit Bendre (MH)/Nidhi Chilumula (TS) bt Yash Yadav (MP)/Moulika Ram (TS) 6-4, 5-7, 10-5; Niki Poonacha (AP)/Rishika Sunkara (DL) bt Hardeep Singh Sandhu (PB) 6-3, 7-5; Peranamallur Vignesh (AP)/Sai Samhitha (TN) bt Armaan Bhatia (MH)/Sravya Shivani (TS) 6-3, 6-4; Dhruv Sunish (MH)/Mihika Yadav (MH) bt Tarun Anirudh Chilakalapudi (TS)/Shristhi Daas (MH) 6-4, 6-3.