JOIN USGerman qualifier Torsten Wietoska shocked top seed Sriram Balaji of India 6-4, 5-7, 7-5 to storm into the semifinals of the ITF Dharwad Open at the DDTA Courts here on Thursday.
India’s Sanam Singh defeated Dutchman Colin Van Beem 6-4, 6-4 for a place in the semis.
Third seed Ranjeet Virali Murugesan and Ramkumar Ramanathan also made it to the last four. Ranjeet defeated fifth seed Vijaysundar Prashanth 6-3, 6-2 while Ramkumar ended the gallant campaign of Arjun Khade 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1.
Wietoska broke Balaji in the seventh game of the first set before pocketing the set. Balaji came back strongly in the second set which went with serve all the way, as he broke Wietoska in the 12th game to stretch the match to the deciding third set.
The decider saw both players exchanging fine rallies as the stakes went high. Saving a match point in the 10th game, the German, however hung on. After levelling the score at five-all, Wietoska broke him for a 6-5 lead before closing out the match at 7-5.
Results (quarterfinals, Indians unless specified): Torsten Wietoska (Ger) bt Sriram Balaji 6-4, 5-7, 7-5; Sanam Singh bt Colin van beem (Ned) 6-4, 6-4; Ranjeet Virali Murugesan bt Vijaysundar Prashanth 6-3, 6-2; Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Arjun Khade 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1.
Doubles (semifinals): Amrit Narasimhan (US)/ Michael Shabaz (US) bt Fariz Mohammed/ Vignesh Peranamallur 6-3, 6-2; Ajai Selvaraj/ Ashwin Vijayraghavan bt Sergei Krotiouk (Rus)/ Luca Margaroli 6-3, 7-5.