Poojashree in semifinals

Seventh-seeded Indian to lock horns with Kumkhum

The seventh seed, who had accounted for Parija Maloo in the first round and Prerna Bhambri in the second, packed far too many guns for Sharmada Balu in Thursday’s quarterfinal clash, coming through untroubled in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

The sole Indian survivor in singles action will now face her first overseas test in Friday’s semifinal when she runs into eighth seed Luksika Kumkhum. The Thai crushed Anna Rapoport 6-0, 6-1, the Russian hardly resembling the player who sent second seed Dalila Jakupovic packing in the first round.

In the top half of the draw, the seedings held good as top-ranked Anastasiya Vasylyeva set up a showdown with Emily Webley-Smith. Ukrainian Vasylyeva outclassed fifth seed Nungnadda Wannasuk of Thailand 6-2, 6-2, while the third-seeded Briton had to quell a late fightback from Anna Shkudun of Ukraine before winning 6-0, 7-5.

Poojashree and compatriot Rushmi Chakravarthi won through to the doubles final with a three-set upset of second-seeded Japanese pair Mari Inoue and Ayumi Oka. In the title round, they will face Thailand’s Peangthan Pliphuech and Nungnadda Wannasuk, who shocked top seeds Vasylyeva and Webley-Smith in three tight sets.

Quarterfinal results (prefix denotes seeding):

Singles: 3-Emily Webley-Smith (GBT) bt Anna Shkudun (Ukr) 6-0, 7-5; 7-Poojashree Venkatesha (Ind) bt Sharmada Balu (Ind) 6-2, 6-1; 1-Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukr) bt 5-Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) 6-2, 6-2; 8-Luksika Kumkhum (Tha) bt Anna Rapoport (Rus) 6-0, 6-1.

Pre-quarterfinals: Anna Rapoport bt Kyra Shroff (Ind) 6-4, 6-4.
Doubles, semifinals: Peangthan Pliphuech (Tha)/Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) bt 1-Anastasiya Vasy;yeva (Ukr)/Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) 6-3, 2-6, 10-8; 4-Rushmi Chakravarthi/Poojashree Venkatesha (Ind) bt 2-Mari Inoue/Ayumi Oka (Jpn) 4-6, 6-2, 10-6.

Quarterfinals: M Inoue/A Oka bt Trang Huynh Phuong Dai (Vie)/Nicha Lertpitaksinchai (Tha) 6-1, 6-2; R Chakravarthi/P Venkatesha bt Shivika Burman (Ind)/Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) 6-2, 6-3; P Pliphuech/N Wannasuk bt 3-Luksika Kumkhum (Tha)/Varatchaya Wongteanchai (Tha) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.