Pune: Kazakhstan’s Kamila Kerimbayeva proved to be a little too good for Prerna Bhambri, the lone Indian left in the singles draw at the NECC-ITF women’s $25,000 event at Deccan Gymkhana on Thursday. The loss of Sowjanya Bavisetti-Sharmada Balu in the doubles semi-finals later in the afternoon meant that the Indian challenge is over in this tournament.
Three of the top four seeds made it to the singles semi-finals, in contrasting styles, as Kerimbayeva became the only unseeded player making it to the last four.
Kerimbayeva was on top throughout her 75-minute encounter against Bhambri, in which she broke her Indian rival five times. Bhambri played a much better second set, and, perhaps, a score-line of 6-3, 6-3 did not do justice to her fighting abilities in the second set.
Top seed Magda Linette of Poland was stretched to the limit by Japan’s qualifier Rika Fujiwara. Linette ran away with the first set 6-3, and took a 4-2 lead in the second. Fujiwara, the 2009 champion here, showed terrific agility to make a comeback and won the second set 7-5. Linette, however, had too much firepower for the veteran in the decider, winning it 6-2 to book a semi-final clash against third seed Diana Marcinkevica. Maecinkevica ended the challenge of Thailand’s Nungnadda Wanasuk 6-3, 7-5 in a one hour 48 minute battle.
Italy’s fourth seed Gioia Barbiery continued her smooth run in the event, as she comfortably outplayed Israel’s qualifier Keren Shlomo 6-2, 6-3 in little over an hour.
The doubles finals would be played on Friday between Thailand’s second seeded pair of Nicha Lertpitaksinchai/Peangtarn Plipuech and British pair of Jocelyn Rae/Anna Smith, followed by the double's prize distribution ceremony.
Results: Quarterfinals:
Diana Marcinkevica [3] bt Nungnadda Wannasuk 6-3, 7-5;
Kamila Kerimbayeva bt Prerna Bhambri 6-3, 6-3;
Magda Linette [1] bt Rika Fujiwara 6-3, 5-7, 6-2;
Gioia Barbieri [4] bt Keren Shlomo 6-2, 6-3;
Semifinals:
Nicha Lertpitaksinchai /Peangtarn Plipuech [2] bt Ksenia Palkina /Jade Windley [3] 6-2, 6-3;
Jocelyn Rae /Anna Smith bt Sharmada Balu /Sowjanya Bavisetti 6-1, 7-6(7);
