Pune: Kazakhstan’s Kamila Kerimbayeva ousted fourth seed Gioia Barbiery of Italy in straight sets to make it to the singles final of the NECC-ITF women’s $25,000 event at Deccan Gymkhana on Friday. Karimbayeva will meet the tournament’s top seed Magda Linette in the title clash on Saturday.
Second seeds Nicha Lertpitaksinchai and Peangtarn Plipuech clinched the doubles title later in the afternoon with a hard fought win over Jocelyn Rae/Anna Smith in the final.
In the first singles semi-final, unseeded Kerimbayeva caught Italian Barbiery by surprise with some aggressive hitting from both flanks. Barbiery, who herself is very aggressive from both flanks, failed to handle the pace of Kerimbayeva’s strokes, as she got broken in the fourth and the eighth game of the first set. Second set was a similar story as the Kazak raced to a 5-1 lead, and eventually completed a 6-2, 6-2 win in just 68 minutes.
Top seed Linette won her semi-final against third seed Diana Marcinkevica in quite contrasting style. Linette threw away a 4-2 first set lead, losing it in the tie-breaker eventually. The Polish girl, however, found her rhythm just in time, winning the second set at the cost of just one game. She again broke Latvian Marcinkevica in the first and the fifth game of the decider to win the match 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-2 in two hours and 10 minutes.
The singles final would be played at 10 am on Saturday, and would be followed by prize distribution.
Thai girls Lertpitaksinchai/Plipuech raced to a 4-1 lead in the doubles final, before the British pair of Rae/Smith levelled it to 5-5. Thai girls got the decisive break in the 12th game to win the set 7-5. Second set was identical, as the Brits again lost serve in the crucial 12th game, costing them the match eventually.
Prizes were given at the hands of Deepak Kudale, Chairman of Kudale Company, along with Tournament Director Mukund Joshi and Dr. Jaydeep Date, Joint organizing secretary. Mr Mukund Joshi welcomed the guests while Joint Organising Secretary Prashant Gosavi gave the vote of thanks.
Results: Semifinals:
Kamila Kerimbayeva bt Gioia Barbieri [4] 6-2, 6-2;
Magda Linette [1] bt Diana Marcinkevica [3] 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-2;
Doubles Finals:
Nicha Lertpitaksinchai /Peangtarn Plipuech [2] bt Jocelyn Rae /Anna Smith 7-5, 7-5;
