Raja-Martin reach quarters of Tashkent challenger

Purav Raja (right)

Tashkent, Oct 7 (IANS)

Indo-French pair Purav Raja and Fabrice Martin scored a 6-0, 6-4 win over Uzbek wildcards Shonigmatjon Shofayziyev and Vaja Uzakov to move into the men's doubles quarter-finals of Tashkent Challenger at the Olympic Tennis School Complex here Tuesday.

Third seeded German pair of Frank Moser and Alexander Satschko also moved into the last eight stage, registering a 7-6(5), 6-4 win over the Russian pair Mikhail Elgin and Alexander Kudryavtsev while top seeds Juniad Rameez and Konstantine Kravchuk made a winning start, beating wildcards Sarvar Ikramov and Djurabek Kaimov 6-2, 6-2.

In men's singles, Russia's Aslan Karatsev ousted fifth seeded Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia Herzegovina 6-2, 7-6(6) in the first round. Karatsev hit 12 aces on his way to victory in just one hour and 23 minutes over 106-ranked Dzumhur.

Top seeded World No.69 Dusan Lajovic also took an hour and 23 minutes to beat Russian Konstantin Kravchuk 6-4, 7-5 while second seeded Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky defeated Spaniard Andrian Menendez-Maceiras 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-2 in an hour and 51 minutes.

Third seeded Lukas Lacko of Slovakia outplayed qualifier Riccardo Ghedin of Italy 6-2, 6-0 in 49 minutes while sixth seeded Kazakh Aleksandr Nedovyesov registered a 6-3, 6-4 win over Ukaraine's Marat Deviatiarov.

Another Ukrainian Denis Molchanov scraped past Frenchman Fabrice Martin 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(3) in a close contest and Italian Andrea Arnaboldi pulled off a 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-6(2) against Croatian Ante Pavic in a fierce two hour, 22 minutes battle.