JOIN USSruthi Pandithurani stunned top seed Apeksha Solanki in straight sets to march into the semifinals of the AITA Talent Series tennis tournament here on Sunday.
Sruthi won the opening set 4-2 before holding her nerve in the second, winning it 5-3 and with it the match at the Jain International Residential School courts. While it was curtains for Apeksha, things however went smoothly for second seed Srihari Bumika and fourth-seeded Apoorva SB. While Srihari brushed aside Padamanjhari 4-1, 4-1, Apoorva romped to 4-0, 4-1 win over Samanvitha.
In the other quarterfinal, Pratiksha Sen defeated bt BS Bhoomika 4-1, 4-1.
In the boys’ singles competition the top four seeds progressed to the semifinals, setting up a fine showdown.
Top seed Shankar Rahul beat Aadhitiya SM 5-4 (4), 4-1, second seed Ponaka Sai Pranav eased past Venkat Varun 5-3, 4-0, third-seeded M Tathaagt recorded a 4-2, 4-1 win over Nama Heman 4-2, 4-1 while fourth seed Hari Singh crushed Sriram Rahul 4-0, 4-1.
Results (quarterfinals, prefix denotes seeding): Boys: 1-Shankar Rahul bt Aadhitiya SM 5-4 (4), 4-1; 3-M Tathaagt bt Nama Heman 4-2, 4-1; 4-Hari Singh bt Sriram Rahul 4-0, 4-1; 2-Ponaka Sai Pranav bt Venkat Varun 5-3, 4-0.
Girls: Sruthi Pandithurani bt 1-Apeksha Solanki K 4-2, 5-3; Pratiksha Sen bt BS Bhoomika 4-1, 4-1; 4-Apoorva SB bt Samanvitha Bajpai 4-0, 4-1; 2-Srihari Bumika bt Padamanjhari M 4-1, 4-1.