JOIN USRutuja’s loss also ended the Indian challenge at the event. The teenager found Wongteanchai’s variations a bit too much to handle, going down 2-6 2-6 in 64 minutes.
In other quarterfinal matches, sixth seed Celine Cattaneo upset fourth seed Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand, while unseeded Melis Sezer sent packing third seed Tadeja Majeric in a completely one-sided match.
In a match watched by a capacity crowd at the Deccan Gymkhana, Wongteanchai started strongly, racing to a 4-0 lead in no time. Rutuja did manage to hold her serve a couple of times after that, but the Thai girl stayed strong on her on serve to wrap up the opening set 6-2. Rutuja hit some of her trademark forehand winners at the start of the second set, and looked like making it a much better contest, before Wongteanchai broke her in the fifth game.
Rutuja did have a chance to break back immediately, but failed to make best use of the one breakpoint she got, and the Thai girl just did not lose a single game after that. The difference between the rankings of both the players was close to 800 places and it showed in the end.
However, a quarterfinal finish has given Rutuja 15 ranking points, which is bound to shoot her ranking considerably, when the new ranking list is released on Monday.
Results: Singles: Quarterfinals: 1-Varatchaya Wongteanchai (Tha) bt Rutuja Bhosale (Ind) 6-2, 6-2; 6-Celine Cattaneo (Fra) bt 4-Nicha Lertpitaksinchai (Tha) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Melis Sezer (Tur) bt 3-Tadeja Majeric (Slo) 6-0, 6-3; Anna Shkudun (Ukr) bt Ting-Fei Juan (Tpe) 6-2, 6-2.