Srinath in quarters

AHMEDABAD, DEC 23: Santa Claus couldn't wait until Christmas, Prahlad Srinath got an early delivery. To his credit, the Indian Davis Cupp...

AHMEDABAD, DEC 23: Santa Claus couldn8217;t wait until Christmas, Prahlad Srinath got an early delivery. To his credit, the Indian Davis Cupper has been doing his lessons diligently, faring well in the big tests and the reward was long due. He kept up the good work today to record a 6-4 6-3 win over seventh seed Goichi Motomora of Japan, to earn a quarter-final spot in the Bharat Petroleum ATP Challenger Tennis Tournament at the AGETA courts here.

But Srinath8217;s gift had a few strings. He and Mahesh Bhupathi withdrew from the doubles second round match owing to the latter8217;s stiff shoulder.Srinath8217;s serve deserted him at the start. Two double faults and an unforced error saw him being broken in his first game. Motomura8217;s piercing ground strokes did not help Srinath8217;s cause and it wasn8217;t until in the sixth game that Srinath could hold his serve for the first time. But to keep things even he had broken Motomura twice and the scores were tied 3-3.

Srinath8217;s net play has been the added feature this year and the netresult has been pleasant. The forward march set break point for Srinath in the seventh game and a double fault by Motomura gave him the decisive break. Games went with the serve after that and the Indian got the first set at 6-4.To counter Motomura8217;s cannonball ground strokes, Srinath slowed down the game. Motomura8217;s unforced error multiplied as Srinath added a break in the third game of the second set. The second break came in the ninth game and Srinath booked a place in the last eight, equalling his best ever performance at the Challenger. Srinath next plays Anthony Dupuis of France.

Results

Singles: O Ogorodov bt R Svetlik 6-3, 6-0; S Prahlad bt G motomura 6-4, 6-3; E Ran bt J Boutter 6-2, 7-6 7-0; O Motevassel bt A Parmar 6-3, 6-4; A Dupuis bt J Delgado 7-6 7-4, 6-4; K Masuda bt B Cowans 7-6, 6-0; D Tomashevic bt N Okun 4-6, 6-2, 6-2; O Sela bt A Strambini 6-2, 6-3.

Doubles: N Behr amp; E Ran w/o M Bhupahti amp; P Srinath; G Carraz amp; R Lavergne bt S Delgado amp; A Parmar 6-0, 6-4; I Ljubicic amp; GMotomura bt V Kutsenko amp; O Ogorodov 7-6, 6-2.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More