The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Good day for Tara

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Saturday, Sep 01, 2007
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Sport - Tennis

Good day for Tara

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Tara Iyer stayed on course for a hat-trick of titles as she beat Nungnadda Wannasuk of Thailand 6-4, 7-5 in the semifinals of the $ 10,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the DLTA Complex here on Friday.

A repeat final between Tara and Ankita Bhambri looked likely before the latter blew her chances in a lively encounter against qualifier Kyung-Yee Chae of Korea in the other semifinal.

The Korean, who had won a mere two games against Tara in the semifinals last week at Noida, prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 over Ankita.

Even the 19-year-old Tara, trying her best on tired legs, had her share of problems against her doubles partner, the eighth-seeded Wannasuk, but showed the urgency at crucial stages to ensure a straight-set win.

Tara’s serve lacked the sting and consistency but she managed to save five breakpoints while taking a 5-3 lead in the first set with a break in the eighth game. Though she dropped her serve at love in the ninth, the Thai obliged in the very next game as Tara grabbed the opportunity by spanking a forehand winner on set point.

In the second set, Tara dropped serve in the third game and was close to being pushed into a third set before the Thai, who led 5-3, lost control with a string of double faults while serving for the set in the 10th game.

It could have still been tricky but for Tara’s hesitant forehand drive clipping the tape and ending up as a winner on match point in the 12th game. While Tara extended her winning streak to 14 matches in singles, Ankita, playing more energetically for the better part of the match, could not make the final.

The results: Singles (semifinals): Kyung-Yee Chae (Kor) bt Ankita Bhambri 6-4, 2-6, 6-0; Tara Iyer bt Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) 6-4, 7-5. Doubles (final): Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) & Tara Iyer bt Sophia Mulsap & ; Varatchaya Wongteanchai (Tha) 6-4, 6-3.