India’s promising youngsters Sai Praneeth and Sameer Verma came desperately close to qualifying for the main draw of the India Open Superseries when they held three match points in their final qualifying round matches, but their opponents eventually got the better of them at the Siri Fort Complex here on Tuesday.
Among the Indians to make it were Arundhati Pantwane, who gritted out a three-game win over Sabrina jaquet of Switzerland, and Neha Pandit, who overcame teammate Mohita Sahdev, also in three games.Praneeth led 20-18 in the third game against Thailand’s Suppanyu, but the Thai equalized at 20-all, saved another match point, and then took the match 23-21.
Like Praneeth, Sameer Verma too was unlucky to go down to giant Russian Vladimir Ivanov. The young Indian took the first game and had three match points in the second, but each time the Russian hung on, and eventually Verma capitulated, but it had been very close.The main draw begins tomorrow, and several Indians will be seen in action. Saina Nehwal however takes the court only at 7:50pm against Hong Kong’s Yip Pui Yin.
