Sahaja Yamalapalli stuns fourth seed Punnin to enter quarters at MSLTA Women’s ITF World Tennis Tour event

Sahaja Yamalapalli caused a major upset entering the singles quarterfinals at the Aryan Pumps-MSLTA Women’s 15K ITF World Tennis Tour event at the Ramnagar ground in Nagpur on Thursday.

Unseeded Sahaja Yamalapalli shocked fourth seed Thai player Punnin Kovapitukted 6-2, 6-1 in a match lasting 1 hour and 10 minutes.

The week-long tennis event is being organized by Nagpur District Hard Court Tennis Association (NDHTA) under the auspices of ITF, AITA and MSLTA.

Kovapitukted, who won the second leg at Gurugram, looked visibly tired of playing her fourth tournament in a row to go down tamely to Hyderabad-based Sahaja Yamalapalli.

Sai Samhitha Chamarthi beat Smriti Bhasin 6-4, 6-3 in the women's singles second round. (Picture: MSLTA)

Sahaja dominated the Thai opponent from the start

Sahaja Yamalapalli dominated her Thai opponent Punnin from the beginning. Taking advantage of her tired opponent, Sahaja posted a convincing straight-sets victory.

Second-seeded Anna Ureke of Russia was given a fight by Indian player Pratyusha Rachapudi before winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. The marathon match lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes. The hard-fought win helped Anna make it to her fourth quarterfinals in a row.

Top-seeded Zeel Desai also made her fourth quarterfinals in a row by outplaying Denmark’s Elena Jamshedi 6-2, 6-1.

In another riveting match, third-seeded Emily Seibold of Germany overcame a fight against Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty 7-6(4), 6-3 to make the last eight stage.

Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar with the players in Nagpur on Thursday. (Picture: MSLTA)

In the doubles quarterfinals, the pair of Sai Samhitha Chamarthi and Soha Sadiq upset second-seeded Jennifer Luikham and Mihika Yadav 6-3, 6-1.

Earlier in the morning, the first match was witnessed by Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, who did the honors of the toss on court 4. The Comissioner of Police was very impressed with the facility and enquired about the wellbeing of the players who have come from all over the world. He is an avid tennis fan and also plays tennis when time permits as a means of exercise and fitness.

Gaurav Natekar, a former Davis Cup player from India and a special commentator at the Australian Open, also witnessed the matches.

Natekar expressed happiness that the MSLTA Tennis Academy is in good hands with NDHTA and wished the tournament all success.

The quarterfinals will be played on Friday morning from 9.30 am onwards on all four courts.

Former Indian tennis player Gaurav Natekar (fourth from L) with the MSLTA officials in Nagpur on Thursday. (Picture: MSLTA)

Results

Women's singles (Second Round)

1-Zeel Desai (IND) bt Elena Jamshidi (DEN) 6-2, 6-1

2-Anna Ureke (RUS) bt Prathyusha Rachapudi (IND) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3

3-Emily Seibold (GER) bt Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty (IND) 7-6(4), 6-3

6-Jennifer Luikham (IND) bt Humera Baharmus (IND) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1

Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) bt 4-Punnin Kovapitukted (THA) 6-2, 6-1

5-Vaidehi Chaudhari (IND) bt Yubarani Banerjee (IND) 6-2, 6-1

7-Sathwika Sama (IND) bt Shreya Tatavarthy (IND) 6-4, 6-2

Sai Samhitha Chamarthi (IND) bt Smriti Bhasin (IND) 6-4, 6-3

Women's doubles (Quarter-finals)

3-Nidhi Chilumula (IND)/Saumya Vig (IND) bt Dakshata Patel (IND)/Ishwari Matere (IND) 6-1, 6-1

Sai Samhitha Chamarthi (IND)/Soha Sadiq (IND) bt 2-Jennifer Luikham (IND)/Mihika Yadav (IND) 6-3, 6-1

1-Vaidehi Chaudhari (IND)/Emily Seibold (GER) bt Humera Baharmus (IND)/Yubarani Banerjee (IND) 6-2, 6-2

Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty (IND)/Sathwika Sama (IND) bt Stefanie Auer (AUT)/Ilaria Sposetti (ITA) (Walkover).