Ghouse downs Liberhan, Inoyatov upsets Kim

New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) Wild card entry Mustafa Ghouse battled past compatriot Tushar Liberhan while Murad Inoyatov of Uzbekistan created the only upset of the day, beating seventh seeded Korean Hyung Kwong Kim in the first round of the ITF Men's Satellite tournament's third leg here today.

Inoyatov lost the first set and seemed gradually on his way out before he raised his game and won the second set to stretch it to the decider. The third set was a hard-fought affair with the Uzbek ending on the right side with a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 win.

Ghouse was one up after winning the first set but a second set lapse saw Tushar Liberhan clawing back into the game but he ran out of steam in the third set and Ghouse moved to the second round with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win.

Meanwhile, sixth seed Korean Hyun-Woo Nam proved too strong for Indian wild card Kaushik Raju who went down 1-6, 4-6.

UNI AY PM KN1945