Former National champion Sowjanya Bavisetti got off to a strong start and past Ayumi Morita of Japan to reach the pre-quarterfinals of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis at the Tennis Project in Baliawas on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old Sowjanya led 6-1, 2-1 when the former world No. 40, Ayumi retired. The 32-year-old Japanese, a regular in the Grand Slams in her prime, reaching the third round of Australian Open twice for her best results, felt dizzy during a rally.
Despite the medical help, Ayumi was unable to continue owing to the heat and humidity. Referee Puneet Gupta, who was on court, seeing the plight of Ayumi, decided to schedule the matches in two sessions from Wednesday, from 9 a.m. and the second at 3 p.m.
In the only other singles match of the day, Viktoria Morvayova of Slovakia cruised past Yubarani Banerjee for the loss of three games.
In the doubles pre-quarterfinals, The Vemuri sisters, Abhaya and Apurva, beat Nandini Dixit and Himaanshika Singh 6-7(3), 7-6(5), [10-5].
The results: Singles (first round): Sowjanya Bavisetti bt Ayumi Morita (Jpn) 6-1, 2-1 (retired); Viktoria Morvayova (Svk) bt Yubarani Banerjee 6-0, 6-3.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) & Rutuja Bhosale bt Kashish Bhatia & Anjali Rathi 6-3, 6-2; Abhaya Vemuri & Apurva Vemuri bt Nandini Dixit & Himaanshika Singh 6-7(3), 7-6(5), [10-5]; Priska Madelyn Nugroho (Ina) & Ankita Raina bt Humera Baharmus & Sahaja Yamalapalli 6-3, 6-2; Punnin Kovapitukted & Luksika Kumkhum (Tha) bt Anusha Kondaveeti & Prathiba Narayan 6-2, 6-2; Ikumi Yamazaki (Jpn) & Ishwari Matere bt Ritu Ohlyan & Ayushi Singh 6-0, 6-2; Ekaterina Yashina (Rus) & Zeel Desai bt Suhitha Maruri & Sanjana Sirimalla 6-3, 6-3; Vaidehi Chaudhari & Mihika Yadav bt Arhti Muniyan & Shreya Tatavarthy 6-3, 1-6, [10-4]; Momoko Kobori & Misaki Matsuda (Jpn) bt Yubarani Banerjee & Akanksha Nitture 6-2, 7-6(4).
Qualifying singles (third and final round): Ishwari Matere bt Sahira Singh 6-2, 3-6, [12-10]; Farhat Aleen Qamar bt Anjali Rathi 6-4, 6-4; Elena Pridankina (Rus) bt Prathiba Narayan 6-1, 6-1; Shreya Tatavarthy bt Suhitha Maruri 6-4, 6-3; Sanjana Sirimalla bt Avishka Gupta 6-4, 6-2; Ikumi Yamazaki (Jpn) bt Himaanshika Singh 6-4, 6-0.
