rediff.com: Mankad, Udomchoke win easily

Favourites Harsh Mankad and Thai Danei Udomchoke barely broke sweat while entering the quarter- finals, even as two seeds were shown the exit, in the second round of the ITF men's Satellite tennis tournament in Delhi today.

Number two seed Mankad, who is aspiring to make it to the Indian Davis Cup team for the World Group qualifying round clash against Sweden from July 21 to 24, shut out Vijay Kannan 6-1, 6-4 in just over an hour.

Mankad's main hurdle, top seeded Udomchoke, dashed the hopes of national runner-up Mustafa Ghouse 6-2, 6-4 on a day that saw one-sided affairs barring the one involving Rishi Sridhar and Ajay Ramaswamy.

Big-serving Ghouse, who yesterday survived three match- points before beating Kamala Kannan, had no answer to left- handed Udomchoke's powerful game.

Udomchoke, the second leg winner in Bangalore last week, raced to 5-2 lead the first set with breaks in fifth and seventh games before serving out the set 6-2. He needed just one break in the second set to win the match 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and five minutes.

The Thai will meet eighth seeded Marian Leysek of Slovakia in the quarter-finals tomorrow. Leysek disposed off American John Rom 6-0, 6-3 in just over an hour today.

Kunj Majumdar and Rishi Sridhar accounted for two Indian seeded players when they ousted fifth seed Vinod Sridhar and sixth seed Ajay Ramaswamy respectively.

Majumdar made use of his better court coverage to beat Sridhar 6-2, 6-3, while Sridhar rallied from a set down to win against promising Ramaswamy 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

French qualifier Gwanael Gueit continued his dream run by reaching the last eight stage. Gueit, who accounted for fourth seed Per Thornadtsson of Sweden in the first round, beat fellow-qualifier Phoemphon Atabut of Thailand 6-3, 6-1.

The Frenchman, who committed six double-faults but scored a relative easy win, will now take on Majumdar in the top half of the draw.

Third seeded Sandeep Kirtane, winner in first leg in Bombay, had an easy route to the quarter-finals as his second round opponent, Kedar Shah, retired midway through the contest.

Kirtane won the first set 6-1 before Shah conceded the match following recurring pain in his ankle, which he sprained during the doubles match yesterday.

The Pune-based former Davis Cupper, if he continues with his form, is almost assured of a place in the semi-finals as he faces Rishi Sridhar in the quarters.

Wild card Parantap Chaturvedi failed to maintain his winning form and went down 3-6, 2-6 to England Barry Fulcher, the seventh seed.

Fulcher broke Parantap in the fourth game of the first set before pocketing it 6-3 and then raced to 5-0 lead in the second with three service breaks. The Brit dropped his own in the sixth, but again came up with his passing returns to take the set 6-1.

The Briton now meets Mankad in what promises to be the toughest quarter-final clash on the cards.


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