Ashwin, Shaikh advance in Tennis

Hyderabad: Wild card entrant Ashwin Vijayragavan of Andhra Pradesh stunned eighth seed Lakshit Sood 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the first round of the National Grass Court Tennis Championship at South Club in Kolkata.

After taking the first set through a tie breaker, in the second, Vijayragavan came from behind to wrap up the match in three hours and 35 minutes. Also advancing was Shaikh Abdullah, who beat Sagar Ahuja of Maharashtra 6-7 (7), 6-2. In th women’s singles, AP’s Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy and Nidhi Chilimula advanced to the second round. Vaishnavi defeated Tamil Nadu’s M. Arthi 6-4, 6-1 while Nidhi saw off UP’s Sanya Madan 6-2, 6-3.

Results (Round 1)

Men’s singles: Shaikh Abdullah (AP) b Sagar Ahuja (MAH) 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-4; Ashwin Vijayragavan (AP) b Lakshit Sood (UP) (8) 7-6 (5), 6-3; Vishnu Vardhan (TN) (3) b Mohammad Fariz (TN) 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Women's singles: Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy (AP) b M, Arthi (TN) 6-4, 6-1; Nithyaraj Baburaj (TN) (8) b Kanishka Chawla 6-2, 6-1; Sharmada Balu (KAR) (4) b Sonal Phadke (MAH) 6-2, 6-1; Namita Bal (MAH) b Varunya Chandrasekhar (KAR) 1-4 retd; Nidhi Chilumula (AP) (3) b Sanya Madan (UP) 6-2, 6-3; C Sai Samitha (TN) (6) b Anjali Thakur (MP) 6-3, 6-2; Shalaka Uddur Manjunath (KAR) b Amala Amol Warrick (KAR) 7-6, (3) 6-1.