Yuki Bhambri moves to pre-quarters

Kolkata, Feb 11 (IANS): India’s Yuki Bhambri advanced to the pre-quarter finals, but his compatriots Vishnu Vardhan and Saket Myneni fell by the wayside in the $50,000 State Bank Of India ATP Challenger Tour tennis tournament here Tuesday.

Bhambri, who won the ATP Challenger Chennai last week, got past L.Huang of Chinese Taipei 4-6,6-3,6-1 in a two hour 10 minute duel at the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA) court.

Bhambri was little off form in the opening set as he struggled with his serve and was broken in the seventh game before conceding the set.

In the second, he came back strongly as he opened up a 3-0 lead, but then made some errors during long rallies to allow his opponent break back and level 3-3.

From then on it was an one-sided affair as Bhambri stormed the next eight games, thereby winning not only the second set 6-3, but also taking a 5-0 lead in the decider.

Huang broke Bhambri at 0-5 down, but it was only a consolation. Bhambri fought hard and finally wrapped up the second round match.

Grass Court national champion Vardhan was shown the door by qualifier Ti Chen from Chinese Taipei in straight sets 3-6,2-6 match.

Later in the day, Davis Cupper and 27-year-old Myneni was denied a berth in the pre quarter final by the third seeded Evgeny Donskoy from Russia, who won 6-4,6-2.

Unseeded Argentinean Agustin Velotti drowned fifth seed Slovakia’s Blaz Rola 7-6(3),6-4.

Results:

Men’s Singles – First Round (Remaining from Monday)

(1) O.Nedovyesov (KAZ) d (Q) R Machado (POR) 6-2 6-4; (3) E.Donskoy (RUS) d (WC) S Myneni (IND) 6-4 6-2; (4) G Soeda (JPN) d T Angelinos (GRE) 6-3 3-6 7-5; A.Velotti (ARG) d (5) B Rola (SLO) 7-6(3) 6-4; G Granollers (ESP) d J Samper-Montana (ESP) 6-3 6-1; I Bozoljac (SRB) d (Q) T Yang (TPE) 6-3 6-2; D Munoz-De La Nava (ESP) d A Michon (FRA) 6-3 6-3; (Q) T Chen (TPE) d (WC) V Vardhan (IND) 6-3 6-2; Y Bhambri (IND) d (Q) L Huang (TPE) 4-6 6-3 6-1; A Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) d T Fabbiano (ITA) 6-4 6-2; A Kudryavtsev (RUS) d L Pouille (FRA) 6-3 6-1

Men’s Doubles – First Round (Remaining from Monday)

O Nedovyesov (KAZ)/B Rola (SLO) d (2) Y Bhambri (IND)/M Venus (NZL) 6-3 5-7 10-7; (WC) D Sharan (IND)/V Vardhan (IND) d (3) S Devvarman (IND)/P Raja (IND) 7-6(3) 7-6(1); (4) R Gonzales (PHI)/A Sitak (NZL) d M Chiudinelli (SUI)/S Diez (CAN) 6-0 6-3; G Granollers (ESP)/A Menendez-Maceiras (ESP) d R Albot (MDA)/I Marchenko (UKR) 6-1 3-6 10-6; H Peng (TPE)/T Yang (TPE) d (PR) R Roelofse (RSA)/I Van der Merwe (RSA) 2-6 6-4 10-6; V Baluda (RUS)/A Kudryavtsev (RUS) d T Chen (TPE)/Z Zhang (CHN) 6-1 6-7(5) 12-10