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The magnificent run of Yuki Bhambri continued in the ATP Kaohsiung Challenger in Taiwan, as he scalped another seed in Alejandro Gonzalez to storm into the semi-finals. The Indian defeated the fourth seed 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
Yuki, who was the country’s second highest ranked singles player behind Somdev Devvarman at the start of 2013 before suffering a significant ranking slump, called the shots against the 114th ranked Colombian. Serving solidly and essaying razor-sharp groundstrokes, he sent a stern message across to his opponent: he was in the mood to make a mockery of the rankings.
The 477th ranked Indian breached Gonzalez’s serve early and it stood him in good stead as it was adequate enough to pull off the opening set at 6-3.
Trailing by a set, Gonzalez, ranked more than 350 places higher than the Indian, was a transformed player in the second set. He showed better court coverage and more importantly, broke Yuki’s serve twice before holding his serve in the eight game, to pocket the second set at 6-2.
The decider saw both players give nothing away with their serves; each determined to hold on to their serve as implications of losing serve early in the third set would be detrimental to their winning aspirations.
But it was Yuki, who churned out the crucial break of serve in the sixth game, which tipped the scales in his favour. The wheels came off the Colombian’s game after he lost his serve.
The Indian held his serve before Gonzalez lost his serve again in a sign of resigning to his fate as the former bagged the set and the match at 6-2.
Earlier, Yuki continued his resurgence in the tournament, surprising seventh seed and 146th ranked Yuichi Sugita of Japan in straight sets 7-6 (5), 7-5 to sneak into the singles quarterfinals in Taiwan.
The Indian launched his campaign with a win over another higher ranked player in Israel’s Amir Weintraub. Yuki accounted for the 190th ranked Israeli in straight sets 7-6 (8), 6-1.
Yuki had to win three qualifying round matches to make it to the main draw. And reaching the semi-finals from there is indeed a commendable achievement.
After this win, Yuki is poised to make a significant leap in the ATP rankings next week.
