The Hindu : India's domination continues

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2003

Sport

Sport - Afro-Asian Games

India's domination continues

By Abhijit Sen Gupta

Hyderabad Oct. 29. India's domination in the tennis events of the first Afro-Asian Games continued as the host assured itself of at least two titles by the end of today's proceedings at the Lal Bahadur stadium tennis complex. While Sania Mirza and Rushmi Chakravarthy will clash in the final of the women's singles, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna will take on Sunil Kumar Sipaeya and Vinod Sridhar in the men's doubles final.

Rain affected the proceedings again and two semifinals in the mixed doubles were interrupted. Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza were leading 5-2 in the first set against Adelo Abadia and Czarina Arevalo of Phillipines in one match and in the other, Vishal Uppal and Rushmi Chakravarthy were level at four all in the first set against Johnny Arcilla and Patricia Santos of Phillipines. Both matches will be completed on Thursday evening. It was learnt that Prakash Amritraj has withdrawn from the men's singles due to fever.

In the women's singles semifinals Sania overcame Czarina Arevalo of Phillipines 6-4, 6-1 while Rushmi Chakravarthy defeated Sandy Gumulya of Indonesia 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 in a hard fought 107 minute battle. Sania who seemed a trifle off colour today was given a tough fight by her rival from the Phillipines. The latter proved to be a fast mover and covered all the angles well but an inability to cut down errors cost her dearly. Sania was not at her best or the match would have been over quickly.

In the first set it was an even battle and both registered three breaks each. In the first game Sania held serve and then broke Czarina to lead 2-0. But then Czarina launched a fightback and after a series of breaks by both players, the score stood at four all. But at this crucial stage the Hyderabad lass, fighting to regain her focus and accuracy managed to hold serve in the ninth game and then broke an erratic and nervous Czarina in the tenth game to take the set.

In the second set Sania raced to a 3-0 lead before Czarina managed to take her first game to make it 3-1. But at this juncture Sania began finding her rhythm, albeit in small measures, and in the last three games there were a few glimpses of Sania's attacking strokeplay as she wrapped up the issue after 64 minutes.

The results:

Women's singles: semifinals: Sania Mirza (Ind) bt Czarina Arevalo (Phi) 6-4, 6-1; Rushmi Chakravarthy (Ind) bt Sandy Gumulya (Ina) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

Women's doubles: quarterfinals: Czarina Arevalo and Patricia Santos (Phi) bt Osaro Amadin and Clara Udofa (Ngr) 6-3, 7-6.

Men's singles: quarterfinals: Johnny Arcilla (Phi) bt Abdul Mumin Babalola (Ngr) 3-6, 6-2, 3-6.

Men's doubles: semifinals: Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna (Ind) bt Adelo Abadia and Johnny Arcilla (Phi) 6-3, 6-2; Sunil Kumar Sipaeya and Vinod Sridhar (Ind) bt Abdul Mumin Babalola and Sunday Maku (Ngr) 6-1, 6-0.

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