Manisha Malhotra shocks Daskovic

Unseeded Manisha Malhotra caused a big upset when she ousted second seed Katarina Daskovic of Yuguslovia 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 on her way to the women's singles second round in the $25,000 prize-money ITF women's tennis tournament, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.

The Indian staged a grand recovery after dropping the first set to win in exactly two hours.

However, the other Indians in action -- unseeded Rushmi Chakravarthi, Sai Jayalakshmi and Radhika Tulpule, who replaced injured fifth seed Amanda Hopmans of the Netherlands in the main draw - lost their first round matches.

Rushmi lost to third seed Adriana Barna of Germany 3-6, 0-6 in one hour five minutes while Sai Jayalakshmi went down to unseeded Shelley Stephens of New Zealand 6-3, 7-5.

Local girl Radhika Tulpule went down fighting to unseeded Scarlett Werner of Germany 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(7/3) in two hours and 20 minutes.

Manisha and wild card Sania Mirza, who won her first round match yesterday, are only two Indians left in the fray.

Manisha played the baseline game to perfection. She dropped her serve in the fourth game of the first set to trail 1-3. Daskovic, who gained in confidence with every game, served out the set at 6-3.

The Indian stormed back into the match when she broke her opponent in the crucial tenth game of the second set to win 6-4 after the players had held serves till 5-4 all.

In the decider, the Indian proved too good, allowing her opponent just two games.

Yesterday's report
Sania Mirza lone Indian to advance