Manoj scripts Greek tragedy

MUMBAI, OCT 20: Manoj Mahadevan Ind felled big Niko Karagiannis Greece, sawing through the deciding set dropping just two points on s...

MUMBAI, OCT 20: Manoj Mahadevan Ind felled big Niko Karagiannis Greece, sawing through the deciding set dropping just two points on serve, in the ITF Men8217;s Satellite Tennis Circuit first-leg at the G A Ranade Tennis Centre.

Lucky losers shed their luck and took matters into their racquets as Mahadevan and Kunj Majmudar US entered Satellite quarter-finals for the first time in their careers. Mahadevan made the 68217;8 Greek lumber all over the court for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win while Majmudar engineered a coup over Josef Nesticky Cze 6-1, 6-2 in a little over an hour.

Majmudar, a 22-year-old mechanical engineer from Harvard born to Indian parents but living in New York, plays Matthis Kempe-Bergman Sweden who trampled over Sandeep Kirtane 7-5, 6-4.

Vinod Sridhar, seeded No 6, defeated Andrei Youzhny Rus, 1069 6-1, 6-7 0-7, 7-5 to have a go at Radim Zitco who earlier had Vishaal Uppal8217;s number.

Sunil Kumar, National champion, came into the big league and exited after one quick win and a swift loss.The 16-year-old had three break points in today8217;s match but dropped all. At the end of a marathon rally in the eighth game of the second set, he had his face to the ground. And his chances more or less grounded.

The Delhi teenager hit double faults facing break points twice in the first set as Per Thornadtsson Swe won 6-1, 6-4.

Rohan Bopanna showed signs of another back-from-the-dead act. The 19-year-old Coorgi lost 1-6, 6-7 6-8 to Thomas Messmer Germany but not before he was two points from taking the match into a third set.

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MAHADEVAN MAKES IT: The 18-year-old handled what Syed Fazaladdin struggled to do yesterday 8212; the big Greek8217;s serve. Karagiannis did most of the work himself, serving five double faults, giving the Chennai player as many chances he could to advance to the net.

Mahadevan did not hold serve in the first set, broke service twice in the second and showed how much he controlled the match in the last two games.Two matchless returns of serve earned the break and then abackhand volley, a forehand pass formed the last act.

SRIDHAR SCORES: Sridhar performed the first part of the Chennai double bill. He had one break point at 5-2 in the second set but Youzhny smashed in two aces to extend the pre-quarterfinal.

Tie-break was heart-break for the Indian. His scorecard read zilch.

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The Indian then rose like a knocked down boxer, wobbly but determined, saving two break points in the ninth game of the decider before booking his place in the round of eight.

RESULTS SEEDINGS IN PREFIX, COUNTRY, RANKING IN PARENTHESIS

Men8217;s singles second round: 3-Radim Zitco Cze, 464 bt Vishaal Uppal Ind, 969 6-4, 6-3; 6-Vinod Sridhar Ind, 693 bt Andrei Youzhny Rus, 1069 6-1, 6-7 0-7, 7-5; 5-Tom Chicoine US, 500 bt Vasudeva Reddy Ind, 874 6-1, 6-4; 4-Per Thornadtsson Swe, 495 bt Sunil Kumar Ind 6-1, 6-4; Thomas Messmer Ger, 949 bt Rohan Bopanna Ind, 1221 6-1, 7-6 8-6; Manoj Mahadevan Ind, 1300 bt Niko Karagiannis Gre, 969 1-6, 6-4, 6-3; MatthisKempe-Bergman Swe, 1300 bt Sandeep Kirtane Ind, 782 7-5, 6-4; Kunj Majmudar US bt Josef Nesticky Cze, 978 6-1, 6-2.