Zeel Desai Beats Michika Ozeki in $25,000 Women's Event

Zeel Desai found her way past Michika Ozeki of Japan 6-3, 7-6(2) in the Bhavna Swarup $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament on the grass courts of the Services Club in Muzaffarnagar on Monday.

After a hesitant start when she was grappling with her serve rhythm and trailed 2-3, Zeel bounced back to win six games on the trot, to pocket the first set and lead 2-0 in the second.

She did surrender that lead, but saved a set point in the twelfth game on her serve, to force the tie-break, in which she dictated terms to pull through in straight sets.

In the pre-quarterfinals, Zeel will play the winner of the match between fourth seed Tereza Mihalikova of Slovakia and qualifier Jennifer Luikham.

National junior champion Humera Shaik, had a tough taste of grass, as she was blown off the court by the Asian Games gold medallist Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia. Aldila, who in partnership with Christopher Rungkat, had beaten Rohan Bopanna and Ankita Raina, on way to the mixed doubles gold in Palembang, converted six of ten breakpoints that she forced and did not face a single breakpoint.

Later, Aldiila partnered Dan Ni Wang of China to beat third seeds Karin Kennel of Switzerland and Melanie Klaffner of Austria in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

National championship finalist Natasha Palha put up a good fight against sixth seed Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic of Germany before being beaten in the second set tie-break.

Sowjanya Bavisetti cruised past compatriot Snehal Mane to set up a second round against the top seed Hiroko Kuwata of Japan, who dismissed Albina Khabibulina of Uzbekistan for the loss of three games.

The results:

Singles (first round): Hitoko Kuwata (Jpn) bt Albina Khabibulina (Uzb) 6-2, 6-1; Sowjanya Bavisetti bt Snehal Mane 6-2, 6-0; Aldila Sutjiadi (Ina) bt Humera Begum Shaik 6-0, 6-0; Viktoria Morvayova (Svk) bt Ksenia Palkina (Kgz) 6-4, 6-4; Anna Siskova (Cze) bt Sai Dedeepya 6-2, 6-0; Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Natasha Palha 6-2, 7-6(2); Zeel Desai bt Michika Ozeki (Jpn) 6-3, 7-6(2).

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Natalija Kostic (Srb) & Tereza Mihalikova (Svk) bt Prerna Bhambri & Rishika Sunkara 6-2, 6-4; Aldila Sutjiadi (Ina) & Dan Ni Wang (Chn) bt Karin Kennel (Sui) & Melania Klaffner (Aut) 6-4, 7-5; Anna Makhorkina (Rus) & Natasha Palha bt Avika Sagwal & Aayushi Tanwar 6-1, 6-0.