The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Fariz ousts Akash

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Thursday, Sep 14, 2006
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Fariz ousts Akash

Sports Reporter

CHENNAI: Mohammed Fariz exacted sweet revenge on top seed Akash Wagh by crushing him 6-4, 6-0 to advance to the boys' quarterfinals of the Wilson-TTT ITF junior tournament at the TTT courts, YMCA College of Physical Education here on Wednesday.

Akash, who had defeated Fariz for the MCC junior National title, started like a super-fast express.

The left-hander from Mumbai raced away to a 4-2 lead and looked like he would wrap up the first set in no time.

But his decline began in the seventh game. Down a break point, he didn't help matters by committing a double fault. Rarely, does Fariz let go off such opportunities.

The 18-year-old lad from Chennai held his serve and then broke Akash's serve with a series of forehand winners.

Without any trace of panic, Fariz served out the first set with an ace down the middle.

Carrying on the momentum, Fariz ran away to a 4-0 lead in the second, helped generously by Akash's unforced errors.

A forehand error from Akash brought an end to the contest that lasted exactly an hour. Fariz will clash with Priyank Gangadharan in the quarterfinals.

Sriram advances

Sixteen-year-old Sriram Balaji defeated qualifier Akshay Kohli 6-3, 6-2. Though Sriram's game was hampered by an injury in his left hand, he still managed to tame his rival with ease. He faces Mansingh Athare in the quarterfinals.

In the girls' section, top seed Parija Maloo was in a spot of bother against Tanvi R. Shah in the second set but eventually won 6-2, 6-4.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Parija committed a double fault on her third breakpoint to lose the ninth game. But she broke hear rival back to win in style.

Other results (pre-quarterfinals):

Boys: Priyank Gangadharan bt Rubal Shandilya 6-3, 6-2; Ankit Sachdeva bt Ryousuke Yokoyamo (Jpn) 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-4; Prateek Bhambri bt Keijiro Yasumi (Jpn) 6-2, 7-5; Mansingh Athare bt Debendra Das 6-3, 7-6(5); A.S. Suresh Krishna bt Christopher Marquis 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Allan Gomes bt Kaushik Das 6-2, 6-3.

Girls: Kyra Shroff bt Nandita Krishnan 6-2, 6-3; T. Nilaya bt Shahin Ansari 6-3, 7-5; Nimisha Mohan bt Sonia Dayal 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Kelsey Sundaram (US) bt Aki Yamasoto (Jpn) 6-1, 6-0; Prerna Bhambri bt Aadnya Naik 6-3, 7-6(5); Rashmi Teltumbde bt Likitha Devraj 6-1, 6-0; Haruka Naito (Jpn) bt Aarthi Duraisamy 6-2, 6-3.

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