Lisa survives Rekha scare, enters semis

Top seed Sonal Phadke and seventh seed Isha Lakhani also entered the last four stage, registering easy victories. While Sonal downed eighth seed Lata Asudani in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, Isha drubbed Megha Vakharia 6-4, 6-0.

In the boys’ under-16, all big guns, including top seed Karan Doctor and second seed Svivek Jhaveri, had a smooth sailing into the semis.

Both Lisa and Rekha broke each other’s serve in their first game. Both had one break each in the first set. Everything went right for unseeded Rekha as she won the first set 7-6 through tie-breaker.

Lisa, a Prac Tennis Academy student, came back strongly in the second set breaking in the third and fifth games. She levelledthe scores in the 10th game of second set with a fine cross court back-hand.

In the final set, Rekha committed to many mistakes on the decisive points. Her main weapon, a double-handed back-hand, could not save her from defeat. Lisa’s powerful all-round game kept Rekha at bay in the final set and she won the set 6-1. "I was just keeping the ball in play after the loss of the first set," said Liza, a tenth standard student of St Blaise.

In the boys’ under-12, Keshav Narsimhan will lock horns with Ayusha Wadawan in the semi-finals while Krishank Shah will meet C Akshay.

In the girls’ under-14 category, all the top seeds entered the last four stage. Top seed Megha Vaharia will meet third seed Lata Asudani in the first semi-final while fourth seed Johann Fernandes will take on second seed Isha Lakhani.

RESULTS

(All Quarter-Finals)
Boys under-16: Karan Doctor bt Abedin Shah 6-1, 6-1; Gaurav Kumar bt Prateek Sharma 6-1, 5-7, 6-4; Akshay Tanna bt Krishne Tanna 6-2, 6-0; Svivek Jhaveri btArpan Lakhani 6-4, 6-1: U-12: Keshav Narsimhan bt Rohan Gide 9-3; Ayusha Wadhawan bt Karan Jhaveri 9-6; Krishank Shah bt Rohan Shewakramani 9-2; C Akshay bt Siddarth Chedda 9-7
Girls U-16 (QF): Sonal Phadke bt Lata Asudani 6-2, 6-3; Isha Lakhani bt Megha Vakharia 6-4, 6-0; Lisa Periera bt Rekha Natarajan 5-7, 6-4, 6-1; Jitisha Selarka bt Johann Fernandes 6-2, 6-4: U-14: Megha Vakharia bt Lizenka Periera 6-0, 6-0; Lata Asudani bt Mayura Bandekar 6-3, 6-2; Johann Fernandes bt Uttara Rao 6-3, 6-3; Isha Lakhani bt Medini Sharma 6-3, 6-4

Rina slams four

St Joseph’s, Vikhroli extended their impressive showing by signing off the Bombay Women’s Hockey Association sub-junior girls league with a thumping 8-0 victory over Mary Immaculate at the St Andrew’s ground, Bandra today. Rina Salina led the goal binge slamming four while Marushka Dias scored three. Smithali Satham too chipped in a goal for the victors who led 4-0 at the breather.

With this victory, St Joseph’s ended the league with anall-win record to make the final scheduled for tomorrow. They now take on Carmel Friends, Bandra who finished second in the standings with three victories.

Ayesha Rodrigues’ 17th minute strike fetched Carmel Friends’ third victory today when they pipped St Francis Xavier’s School 1-0.

St Joseph’s start overwhelming favourites to claim the title for they had trounced the Carmelites 4-0 in the league.