Prajnesh, Bhambri cause big upsets

Chandigarh, Jan 4 (UNI) In a day of major upsets first and second seeds in the boys singles quarter-finals were stunned in the quarter-final encounters of the Sunny Enclave ITF Junior World Ranking (Grade 3) Tennis Tournament at the CLTA Stadium here today.

Eighth seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran of India has emerged as a strong contender for boys singles title after he caused the biggest upset of the tournament by shocking top seed Rifat Biktyakov of Uzbekistan in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.

''Rifat committed too many unforced errors. I played a consistent game throughout the match,'' said Prajnesh who claimed the first, second, third, fifth, seventh and eighth game, including breaks in the second and 8th games to win the first set with ease. Rifat could retain his serve on the fourth and sixth games only.

Prajnesh and Rifat traded break for break in the third and fourth games. The Indian player again broke his opponent in the 8th game to emerge winner by 6-3. Prajnesh won the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth games while Rifat won the second, third and sixth games.

Wild card entrant Yuki Bhambri of Delhi maintained his grand victory run after shocking second seed Aswin Vijayragavan in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Yuki Bhambri of Delhi took 97 minutes as he unsettled second seeded Aswin Vijayragavan. Yuki Bhambri broke Vijayragavan in the sixth game to win the first set. In the second set, Yuki did not give any liberty to Aswin as he broke him in the third and fifth games for a 6-4 win.

Fourth seeded and trainee of CLTA Rural Scheme Vijayant Malik also took his appointed place in the semi-final after beating seventh seed Akash Gujrathi 6-1 6-1 at the centre court. Recently Vijayant, winner of the Mumbai ITF Juniors (Grade IV) had defeated Gujrathi in Gurgaon. They have so far met twice and on both occasion, Malik had beaten Gujrathi.

Two foreigners third seed Alexey Tikhonov of Russia and sixth seed Jerzy Janowicz of Poland fired on all cylinders before the former deservedly won hard-earned 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory in an hour and 38-minute.

The boys semi-final line-up is: 8- Prajnesh Gunneswaran (India) vs 4-Vijayant Malik (India) and 3-Alexey Tikhonov (Russia) vs WC Yuki Bhambri (India).

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