Saturday, Dec 13, 2003
Saturday, Dec 13, 2003 |
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Tennis
By Kamesh Srinivasan
Chu-Huan Yi of Chinese Taipei was in fine form as he saved three setpoints to beat Karan 7-6 (10-8), 7-5. The Taipei lad, with a bleached hair-do, saved three breakpoints in the 11th game of the first set and came up with big serves when it mattered to tilt the balance in his favour. Except for not being able to match the Taipei with fiery serves, Karan competed like a champion, but the big title eluded him for the umpteenth time this season, as he chorded a backhand on setpoint in the first, and got broken decisively in the 11th game of the second, when Yi slammed a forehand down the line winner. The 61st ranked Yi looked up and said a quiet prayer before he shook hands with the 23rd ranked junior in the world. Yi will be up against the serve and volleying Arun Prakash who tells more prayers before tossing up for a serve, than what the Taipei lad can ever dream of. To be fair, Arun Prakash did not need any divine intervention to see him through this day. He served and stroked with flair, and got off to a flier, taking a 4-0 lead. And when the second-seeded Somdev pushed his game, Arun was able to match him and eventually overwhelm him with his domination at the net. Arun won 6-4, 6-4, capitalising on an early break in the second set, to eliminate another title aspirant, who was hampered by a painful shoulder. In the girls' semifinals, Isha bounced back after a poor start, to overpower the third-seeded Wen-Hsin Hsu of Chinese Taipei 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The grit of the second-seeded Isha was very much evident, as she rallied with her athletic opponent, punching away the winners, and eventually breaking her resistance with a string of service breaks in the second and third sets. Isha will challenge another Taipei girl, the 15th ranked top seed, Yung-Jan Chan, to emulate Sania Mirza who became the first Indian girl to win the title last year. Chan beat Liu Wang-Ting of China 6-4, 6-1 to cruise into the final. If anything, it should be a lively contest. In the doubles final, the second-seeded Karan Rastogi and Somdev Dev Varman defeated Chu Huan Yi and Chun Yuan Chen of Chinese Taipei 6-2, 5-7, 7-5, to clinch a well-deserved title. The girls doubles title went to Isha Lakhani and Yung-Jan Chan as the duo prevailed 7-5, 0-6, 6-1 over the Bhambri sisters, Ankita and Sanaa. The results: Boys' singles (semifinals): Chu-Huan Yi (Tpe) bt Karan Rastogi (Ind) 7-6 (10-8), 7-5; Arun Prakash (Ind) bt Somdev Dev Varman (Ind) 6-4, 6-4. Girls' singles (semifinals): Isha Lakhani (Ind) bt Wen-Hsin Hsu (Tpe) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Yung-Jan Chan (Tpe) bt Liu Wang-Ting (Chn) 6-4, 6-1. Boys' doubles (final): Karan Rastogi & Somdev Dev Varman bt Chu Huan Yi & Chun Yuan Chen (Tpe) 6-2, 5-7, 7-5. Girls' doubles (final): Isha Lakhani & Yung-Jan Chan bt Ankita & Sanaa Bhambri (Ind) 7-5, 0-6, 6-1.
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