Rules with a difference!

NEW DELHI, DEC 13: Manisha Malhotra lost a match she should have won in the 25,000 ITF women's circuit. At the DLTA complex on Monday, M...

NEW DELHI, DEC 13: Manisha Malhotra lost a match she should have won in the 25,000 ITF women8217;s circuit. At the DLTA complex on Monday, Manisha began well against her less-experienced rival Korean Eun-Young Ha is some 130 places below the India, won the first set untroubled, was serving for the match in the second before losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 3-7 in 190 minutes.

Also ending up on the losing side was young Radhika Tulpule, whose match-up against Russian Anna Nefedova now reads 1-2. Nefedova won 7-6 5, 2-6, 6-1.The one bright spot for India came late, when wild card Archana Venkataraman outlobbed and outsmarted Russian lucky loser Svetlana Mossiakova 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

India No 1 Nirupama Vaidyanathan meets Arthi Venkataraman in another 1st round match on Tuesday, ensuring one Indian berth in the round of 16.One of the reasons Manisha8217;s match took so long was because of the lack of ball boys and the fact that both players, especially Korean Eun-Young Ha, took time to look despairingly at the chairumpire.

The AITA said the decision to do away with ball boys and linesmen was the International Tennis Federation referee8217;s. Referee Hany El Khafeif said he 8220;wanted to save the organisers the burden of costs and organising the ball boys etc.8221;

The ITF rules for 25,000 events state matters differently. Rule 8d says that two white badge umpires are needed for chair umpire. This was followed. But also, one chair umpire and two linesmen are necessary upto the quarter-final stage in the main draw for all matches. And one umpire and four linesmen are a requirement for the semifinals and final. Rule 8e adds a minimum of three and a maximum of six ball boys or girls should be used up to the quarter-finals through the final.

The ITF referee also said, 8220;You know, this is a girl8217;s event and girls are much easier and accomodating than boys. They also hit the ball less hard. Anyway, the standard here is not very high.quot;

Anyway, with the referee8217;s blessings, the chair umpire could do no wrong. At one stage whenMalhotra hit the ball really long and it was called in. Ha protested. Only to be told that it was too far for the umpire to make out what was happening. If there is going to be only one officiating official, then if he8217;s good enough to sit in the chair, he should be good enough to see the court properly and make a decision.

Results

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Eun-Young Ha Kor bt Manisha Malhotra Ind 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 7-3, Ju-Yeon Choi Kor bt 8-Katarina Daskovic Yug 6-2, 6-0, Anna Nefedova Rus bt Radhika Tulpule Ind 7-6 5, 2-6, 6-1, Archana Venkataraman bt Svetlana Mossiakova Rus 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, Ka-Po Tong HK bt Victoria Davies GB 6-3, 7-6 7-1.