SPORTS

Top seed Hisamatsu shocked

March 21, 2007 19:11 IST

Top seed Shiho Hisamatsu of Japan became the biggest casualty after crashing out without a challenge, in the University of Mumbai ITF Women's US $25,000 tennis tournament at the Kalina University Campus, in Mumbai, on Wednesday.

On a day of mixed fortunes for the seeds, Hisamatsu, ranked 164 in the WTA rankings, was demolished by compatriot and unseeded Natsumi Hamamura 6-1, 6-1 in the second round.

Third seed Sunitha Rao of the United States, ranked 221, also made an early exit after crashing in straight sets to unseeded Swiss Miss Stefanie Voegele, who won 6-4, 6-1.

In contrast, second seed Yan-Chong Chen of China, fourth seed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan, No 5 Nina Bratchikova of Russia, sixth seed Olga Panova of Russia and No. 8 Wan-Ting Liu of China sailed into the quarter-finals.

Bratchikova overcame India's Rushmi Chakravarthi 6-4, 6-0 to end the Indian challenge in the competition.

The campaign of the three remaining qualifiers -- Amber Liu of the US, Martina Caciotti of Italy and Jeong-A Cho of China -- also came to an end.
Results (2nd round): 6-Olga Panova (Rus) bt Martina Caciotti (Ita) 6-2, 6-4; Wan-Ting Liu (Chn) bt Sonal Phadke (Ind) 6-3, 6-3; 5-Nina Bratchikova (Rus) bt Rushmi Chakravarthi (Ind) 6-4, 6-0; 4-Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzb) bt Amber Liu (US) 6-3, 6-3;
Stefanie Voegele (Sui) bt 3-Sunitha Rao (US) 6-4, 6-1; Natsumi Hamamura (Jpn) bt 1-Shiho Hisamatsu (Jpn) 6-1, 6-1; 2-Yan-Chong Chen (Chn) bt Tomoko Sugano (Jpn) 6-4, 6-0; Remi Tezuka (Jpn) bt Jeong-A Cho (Kor) 6-4, 6-2.

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