ZE ZHANG STOPS YUKI BHAMBRI IN SECOND ROUND OF BUSAN CHALLENGER

Chinese Davis Cupper Ze Zhang scored a surprise 6-4, 6-3 victory over second seed Yuki Bhambri in the pre-quarterfinals of the $150,000 Challenger tennis tournament in Busan, Korea, on Thursday.

While the 27-year-old Ze Zhang, ranked 265th in the world, converted four of seven breakpoints, the 25-year-old Yuki converted two of eight breakpoints.

It was the first win for Ze Zhang over Yuki in four meetings in the professional circuit, starting with the Asian junior championship in 2008. In fact, Yuki had not a set to the Chinese in the previous three meetings.

In the ATP Masters in Rome, Rohan Bopanna in partenrship with Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France was beaten by his erstwhile partner Pablo Cuevas and Marcel Granollers in straight sets in the doubles pre-quarterfinals, after a bye in the first round.

In the $75,000 Challenger in Samarkand, qualifier Sriram Balaji fired 14 aces and did not drop serve, despite facing 10 breakpoints, but was beaten 7-6(5), 7-6(3) by second seed Attila Balazs of Hugnary.

Balaji gained 13 ATP points, including five for qualification.
In the Challenger in Germany, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan in partnership with Tristan-Samuel Weissbom of Austria was beaten 10-4 in the super tie-break of the doubles quarterfinals by the Belgians, Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen.

The results:
€5,444,985 ATP 1000, Rome, Italy
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Pablo Cuevas (Uru) & Marcel Granollers (Esp) bt Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) & Rohan Bopanna 7-5, 6-4.

$150,000 Challenger men, Busan, Korea
Singles (pre-quartefinals): Ze Zhang (Chn) bt Yuki Bhambri 6-4, 6-3.

€85,000 Challenger men, Heilbronn, Germany
Doubles (quarterfinals): Sander Gille & Joran Vligen (Bel) bt Tristan-Samuel Weissbom (Aut) & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 3-6, 6-3, [10-4).

$75,000 Challenger men, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Attila Balazs (Hun) bt Sriram Balaji 7-6(5), 7-6(3); First round: Sriram Balaji bt Filip Horansky (Svk) 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.

$15,000 ITF men, Kampala, Uganda
Singles (quarterfinals): Takanyi Garanganga (Zim) bt Dhruv Sunish 6-3, 6-3.

$100,000 ITF women, Trnava, Slovakia
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Jessica Moore (Aus) & Galina Voskoboeva (Kaz) bt Madison Brengle (US) & Prarthana Thombare 6-1, 6-1.

$25,000 ITF women, Wuhan, China
Doubles (semifinals): Hanyu Guo & Yukun Zhang (Chn) bt Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) & Ruruja Bhosale 6-7(6), 6-2, [10-8].

$15,000 ITF women, Tiberias, Israel
Doubles (semifinals): Madeleine Kolbeit (US) & Riya Bhatia bt Joelle Kissell (US) & Laetitia Pulchartova (Cze) 6-2, 6-2.