Vakharia beat Bhambri to enter NECC-ITF women's tourney

Pune, Nov 9 (UNI) India's Meghha Vakaria shocked second seed Ankita Bhambri 7-6 (4), 6-2 to enter the semi finals of the NECC-ITF 10,000 dollars Women's tennis tournament at the Deccan Gymkhana courts here today.

In other clashes, the 17-year-old fourth-seed Amina Rakhim from Kazakistan fought back from the brink to conquer her seventh seed rival Ksenia Palkina from Kyrgistan to storm into the semi final.

In the power-packed two hours 15 minutes marathon tussle, the seasoned globe-trotting Kazakistan star Amina held on to her nerves and wore down her opponent to level up the sets one all to clinch a thriller 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-0 to move into the semi finals.

This was no fluke victory for the high spirited Kazaki stalwart, who has been making a steady climb, figuring in the finals of the French and semi finals of the US Open, downed her arch rival Ksenia Palkina twice within a month's time in the ITF $ 10,000 Women's Circuit. She had beaten her strapping rival from Kyrgistan 6-3, 7-6 at Georgia last month.

The 18-year-old Delhi-based Tara Iyer went down fighting to top seed Isha Lakhani of Mumbai, who triumphed 4-6, 6-2-, 6-1 in one hour 56 minutes tussle. The manner in which Iyer captured Lakhani double faulting twice in the opening set, looked as if Iyer would repeat her WTA Sunfeast straight sets second qualifier rounds victory in Kolkata.

Last year's finalist Lakahani, however, did not allow Iyer to entertain any such thoughts and took a flying 3-nil lead in the second set, despite Iyer reducing the lead to 2-3 at one stage and won three games at a trot to clinch the set. She then tightened the noose around Iyer in a decider, winning four games in a row to wrap up the set and the match.

Delhi-based Bhambri sisters -- second seed Ankita and her younger sibling Sanaa -- made their exit in a contrasting style. Sixth seed southpaw Meghha Vakaria, played to a plan and shocked Ankita 7-6(4), 6-2 and sixth seed Nungnadda Wannasukh of Thailand virtually steam rolled past Sanaa in straight sets to earn the right to meet Meghha Vakaria in the semi final from the bottom half. Isha Lakhani will lock horns with fourth seed Amina Rakhim of Kazakistan in the other semi final tomorrow.

Singles: Quarter final rounds: (1) Isha Lakhani (Ind) bt (8) Tara Iyer (Ind) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; (4)Amina Rakhim (Kaz) bt (7) Ksenia Palkina (Kgz) 6-7(3), 7-6(5), 6-0; (6) Nungnadda Wannasuk (Thai) bt Sanaa Bhambri (Ind) 6-1, 6-1; (6) Meghha Vakharia (Ind) bt (2) Ankita Bhambri (Ind) 7-6 (4) 6-2.

Doubles: Semi Final Rounds: Isha Lakhani (Ind)-Ksenia Palkina (Kgz) bt Geeta Manohar-Liza Pereira (Ind) 6-3, 6-4, Madhura Ranganathan-(Ind) Nungnadda Wannasuk (Thai) bt Saana Bhambri Meghna Vakharia (Ind) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.

UNI IS SSS AG PDS RN2041