ITF Chennai - Balaji, Ranjeet reach singles semi finals

Fifth seed N Sriram Balaji reached the semi-finals of the ITF Futures tournament in Chennai after top seed Vijayant Malik was forced to retire in his men’s singles quarterfinal due to a back spasm.

Malik won the first set but lost the second in a tie breaker. He was trated for his back in the second set. He came back on court and tried to continue but conceded the match down 1-0 in the third set.

Third seed Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan beat compatriot Ashwin Vijayragavan in three sets to reach the last four as well.

Sixth seeded Indian N Vijay Sundar Prashanth lost to Dutchman Mark Vervoort.

In the doubles, it will be an all-Indian affair as Rupesh Roy and Vivek Shokeen beat compatriots Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth while Abhijeet Tiwari and Ashwin Vijayragavan beat Elwin Antony and Fariz Mohammed.

Results:

Singles (quarterfinals):

Mark Vervoort (NED) def. N Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) 3-6 6-0 6-0.

Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan (IND) def. Ashwin Vijayragavan (IND) 4-6 6-3 6-4.

N Sriram Balaji (IND) def. Vijayant Malik (IND) 1-6 7-6(6) 1-0 Retired.

Joss Espasandin (SUI) def. Austin KAROSI (USA) 6-2 6-2.

Doubles (semifinals):

Abhijeet Tiwari/Ashwin Vijayragavan (IND) def. Elwin Antony/Fariz Mohammed (IND) 6-0 6-2.

Rupesh Roy/Vivek Shokeen (IND) def. Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan/N Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) 6-1 6-1.