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India’s Sanam Singh overcame Canada’s Brayden Schnur in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 to enter the quarterfinals of the $15,000 Tevlin Men’s ITF F8 Futures tennis tournament being played in Toronto, Canada.
Sanam, who is seeded second in the tournament, had to weather some resistance from Schnur in the first set before the former breached his serve at the fag end of the set to wrap up the opening set at 7-5.
The wheels came off the Canadian’s game as Sanam continued to press home the advantage.
The 25-year-old Chandigarh-born lad shone with his razor sharp groundstrokes and solid serve. The Canadian literally resigned himself to fate as Sanam pocketed the second set at 6-1.
The 379th ranked Indian will now play fifth seed Michael Shabaz of USA.
Earlier, Sanam prevailed over American Evan King in straight sets 6-4, 7-6(0) to enter the quarterfinals.
He had earlier breezed past Duck Hee Lee of Korea in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.
It may be worth mentioning that Sanam had slumped forty places in the latest ATP rankings, and a good showing in the tourney should help him arrest the rapid fall in rankings.
There was more good news for Indian tennis fans as Vijayant Malik joined Sanam in the semifinals.
The 450th ranked Indian – seed fourth in the tournament – got the better of eight seeded Fritz Wolmarans of South Africa in straight sets 7-6(3), 6-2.
Like Sanam Singh’s match, Vijayant’s face off against Wolmarans unfolded the same way.
The Panipal-born lad was pushed hard in the opening set as both served solidly to force the contest into a tie-break where the Indian held his nerves to win it at 7-6(3).
There was an extra spring in the strides of Vijayant as he took the court for the second set. Wolmarans desperately needed to mount a fightback, but it never materialized as the Indian breached his serve twice to bag the second set and the match at 6-2.
The Indian now plays top-seed Peter Polansky of Canada.
Earlier, Vijayant accounted for American Sekou Bangoura in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
He had shown the tournament exit door to Canadian qualifier Alexandru Pasareanu in straight sets 6-3, 6-0 in round one.
Meanwhile, India’s top-seed Shweta Rana bowed out in the quarterfinals, losing to Austria’s seventh seed Natasha Bredel in straight sets 2-6, 2-6.
