Vishnu Vardhn progresses to the semifinals of the Mandya Open

Vishnu Vardhan beat Sasi Kumar Mukund in straight sets

Mandya (Karnataka), May 21 (IANS) Former Davis Cupper and Olympian Vishnu Vardhan shut out No.4 seed Sasi Kumar Mukund 6-4, 6-4 to storm into the semi-finals of the Men's ITF Futures Mandya Open tennis tournament here on Thursday.

Eighth seed Vardhan will take on top ranked Antoine Escoffier of France, who scripted a clinical 7-5, 6-4 victory over Chinese Taipei's Jui-Chen Jung in the top half of the draw.

In a battle between unseeded players, Lucknow's Ronit Singh Bist overcame Delhi's Sidarth Rawat in a gruelling three-setter 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4), the match lasting two hours and 33 minutes.

Bist will take on No.3 seed Karunuday Singh, who staved off the challenge of seventh seed Vinayak Sharma Kaza 7-6 (3), 6-4.

The doubles final, to be played on Friday will see second seeds Avnit Bendre and Akash Wagh battling it out with the Indo-Chinese Taipei pair of Sasi Kumar Mukun and Jui-Chen Hung.

Bendre and Wagh rallied from a set deficit to defeat Haadin Bava and Tejas Chaukulkar 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 while Hung and Mukund lost the second set tie-breaker after winning the first and then called the shots in the decider winning 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-6.

Results (Prefix denotes seeding, Indians unless stated):

Singles (Quarter-finals): 8-Vishnu Vardhan bt 4-Sasi Kumar Mukund 6-4, 6-4; 1-Antoine Escoffier (Fra) bt 6-Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) 7-5, 6-4; Ronit Kumar Bist bt Sidarth Rawat 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4); 3-Karunuday Singh bt 7-Vinayak Sharma Kaza 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Doubles (Semi-finals): 2-Anvit Bendre / Akash Wagh bt Haadin Bava / Tejas Chaukulkar 3-6, 6-3, 10-7; Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe)/ Sasi Kumar Mukund bt 2-Chandril Sood / Lakshit Sood 6-2, 6-7 (5), 10-6.