The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : A chance for Bhambri sisters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 13, 2004

Sport

Sport - Tennis

A chance for Bhambri sisters

By Kamesh Srinivasan

GURGAON, DEC. 12. The progress of the Bhambri sisters — Ankita and Sanaa — will be keenly watched as the Le Meredian $10,000 ITF women's tennis tournament begins at the NTA Complex here on Monday.

The elder of the two, Ankita is on a high following her maiden singles title triumph at this level in Kolkata on Saturday. Ankita had announced her readiness for the big league when she won the Masters event twice, in the $5,000 circuit. She had also shown her mettle by winning three matches in the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group I competition earlier this season.

Of course, it was a big relief for Ankita to win her first title, especially after the back-to-back losses in the finals of similar events this year to Rushmi Chakravarthi.

The clay courts here may also play a big role in players' fortunes. Both Sanaa and Ankita have the game and the patience to destroy the opposition. While the second-seeded Ankita will start against Asha Nandakumar, the fourth-seeded Sanaa will meet Oormila Ram.

The top-seeded Rushmi had been troubled by a shoulder injury. However, Rushmi can be a tough customer if she gets going.

Shruti Dhawan has returned after a long stint in Europe and she was the only player to take a set off Ankita in Kolkata. The Chandigarh girl will meet Katerina Polunina of Ukraine and a win may see her play Rushmi, as she figures in a tough top quarter along with the likes of the fifth-seeded Wilawan Choptang of Thailand, Sonal Phadke and Samrita Shekar.

The foreign opposition may be limited, but Wilawan may be keen to improve on her final appearance in both singles and doubles.

Meanwhile, three players — Shilpa Goel, Samia Jalali and Martina Caciotti of Italy — made the main draw without playing a match as they got a bye in a draw of 16. Vishaka Sheoran, Samrita, Oormila and Lara Alexander of Britain were given the wild cards.

The seedings: 1. Rushmi Chakravarthi, 2. Ankita Bhambri, 3. Sai Jayalakshmy, 4. Sanaa Bhambri, 5. Wilawan Choptang (Tha), 6. Archana Venkataraman, 7. Isha Lakhani and 8. Geeta Manohar.

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