India beat Philippines, Chinese Taipei in Fed Cup

Seoul, Apr 20 (UNI) Star campaigner Sania Mirza and US-based Shikha Uberoi powered India to a 2-0 win against Chinese Taipei after the left hand-right hand combination of Isha Lakhani and Ankita Bhambri had forced an identical result against the Philippines in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I match of the Fed Cup here today.

Playing her first match after being rested for the tie against the Philippines, Shikha forced a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win against Yung-Jan Chan, who is ranked 10 places higher than the Indian.

In the other match, Sania Mirza, clearly not fully fit, beat Su-Wei Hsieh 6-4, 7-6 (4) to complete the tally.

Against a higher ranked player, Shikha lost the first set but then came back from behind to win the next two and make it 1-0.

Sania, on the other hand, was not in her elements but was still good enough to beat Hsieh in straight sets.

Earlier, Isha Lakhani and Ankita Bhambri won their singles rubbers without much ado as India blanked a lowly Philippines 2-0.

Left-hander Isha gave India a flying start, thrashing a lowly Denise Dy in straigth set.

With more than 750 rungs separating them in the singles ranking, the Filipino proved no match for her younger and more agile Indian opponent who did not concede a single game in the first set.

Dy put up a gritty show in the second set and the see-saw affair was stretched to the tie-break but again the Indian proved much superior to her more experienced opponent and she clinched the set to seal the match in her favour.

In the second singles match, Ankita Bhambri began well but dropped a set before raising her game to tame Czarina-Mae Arevalo 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 and make it 2-0 for India.

Ranked much higher than her opponent, Ankita looked a bit rusty even though she won the first set but Arevalo, ranked 337 places below Ankita, put up a stiff resistance in the second set and clinch it via tie-breaker.

Jolted out of complacence, Ankita was her usual self in the third set and she dropped just two games to clinch the issue and wrap up the match.

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