Purav Raja – Divij Sharan come from behind to progress to semis in Colombia

File Photo: Yuki Bhambri

The emerging Indian tennis duo of Purav Raja and Divij Sharan moved through to the semi-finals of the Clara Open in Bogota. Raja-Sharan defeated Nicolas Monroe and Vasek Pospisil 3-6 6-3 10-6 in an hour and 11 minutes in their quarterfinal clash.

The Indians did not have a great start to the match as the American-Canadian pair pushed them on the back foot by continuously securing break point opportunities. Monroe-Pospisil finally broke through in the eight game to take a 5-3 lead. The unseeded pair then served out to take the opening set 6-3.

In the second set, the Indian pair, despite being under pressure from their opponents, converted their only break point opportunity (as compared to none in three chances for their opponents). The Indians won the second set 6-3 to push the match to a super tiebreak.

The Indian duo held their nerve in the tiebreak to close out the match 10-6. The fourth seeded Indian pair will now face top seeded Columbian duo of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the semis.

Meanwhile, the Indian pair of Yuki Bhambri and Sanam Singh faltered at the Binghampton Challenger in New York losing out to fourth seeds Jarmere Jenkins and Austin Krajicek 6-3 2-6 10-7 in the quarterfinals.

However, Sanam Singh continued his impressive run in the singles event knocking out third seed Yuichi Sugita in straight sets 6-4 6-2. Sanam will now be up against American fifth seed Bradley Klahn in the quarters.