By Jagpreet Sandhu ,Chandigarh, January 12 : Indian Top seeded player Rishab Agarwal and eighth seed Simran Kaur Sethi has continued their winning streak in the boys and girls singles quarter-finals matches, respectively, of the ITF Junior India-1 (Grade 3) 2012 at the Tennis Complex, Sector 10.
Winner of ITF Junior Tennis (Grade 4) in Delhi in December last year, Rishab Agarwal stormed into the semi-final after eliminating the challenge of sixth seed Naoki Nakawaga of Japan in straight two sets 7-6 (9), 6-3. The thrilling quarter-final encounter which lasted one hour and 45 minutes produced percentage tennis.
The first set was fiercely fought and it was extended to tie-breaker after 6-all to resolve the deadlock. Both players faced two breaks each. Rishab started with a bang by breaking his rival Naoki Nakawaga in the first game of the first set to take 1-0 lead and won his second game at love on his own serve (2-0).
The sixth seeded Japanese player won the sixth game by breaking Rishab to level the score at 3-all. Rishab was again broken by the Japanese in the 8th game and led 5-3. Living up to his ranking Rishab immediately broke back Naoki Nakawaga in the ninth game to narrow the margin to 4-5. After deuce was called twice in the 10th game, Rishab just managed to retain his serve and leveled the score at 5-all. Naoki won the 11th game on his serve at love while Rishab had to work hard to down his rival in the 12th game (6-6).
It was a neck-and-neck race in the tie-breaker as the score reads 3-3, 5-5, 8-8 before Rishab won at 11-9.
Having won the laborious first set, Rishab was in his top form as he raced to a 5-0 lead with strong serve and powerful strokes. He broke his rival in the 2nd and fourth games. Rishab was also broken in the seventh game. By winning the 6th, 7th and 8thgames, the Japanese player narrowed the score to 3-5.Rishab then wrapped up the set at 6-3 and the match on his serve.
Unseeded Shao-Chi Yang of Taipei upset fourth seed Nattan Benjasupawan of Thailand in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the second quarter-final. With this win, Yang earned the right to challenge top seed Rishab Agarwal in the semi-final tomorrow.
The second semi-final will be played between Geens Clement of Belgium and Korean Hyeon Chung. In quarters, Geens Clement ousted qualifier Ivan Divkovic of Croatia by 6-1, 6-2 while Hyeon Chung disposed of the challenge of Robert Dula of Croatia in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Eighth seed Simran Kaur Sethi stunned third seed Madrie Le Roux of South Africa in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in the girls singles quarter-finals.Simran made her intentions clear from the first serve as she broke Madrie in the opening game of the first set. Yet another break in the seventh game, Simran Kaur Sethi won the set by 6-2.
The second set moved with the serve till 4-all. In the ninth game, Simran got the vital break and won the set at 6-4.
Simran Sethi will now cross swords with second seed Oleksandra Korashvili of Ukraine in the semi-finals. Oleksandra Korashvili toiled to beat fifth seed Spurti Shivalingaiah of India in two well-contested sets 6-4, 7-6 (4) in two hours 10 minutes in quarter-final fixture.
Top seed Ching-Wen Hsu of Chinese Taipei will meet qualifier from Taipei Min-Chi Hsu in the second semi-final. Ching-Wen Hsu accounted for sixth seed Sanae Ohta of Japan in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. In the fourth quarter-final, Min-Chi Hsu ousted unseeded Indian Nayanika Reddy Devireddy in straight sets 6-2, 6-0.