Asian Games: India assured of medal in tennis

Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh scored contrasting wins as India's men's tennis team on Sunday assured itself of at least a bronze medal in the Asian Games by securing a place in the semifinals.

Fourth seeds India won the quarter-final tie against seventh seeds and last edition's bronze medallists Thailand by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead after Sanam Singh and Somdev Devvarman won their respective singles rubbers. 

India will take on top seeds Chinese Taipei in the semifinals. 

Unranked Sanam defeated 546th ranked Kittipong Wachiramanowong 6-1, 6-4 in the first singles match in one hour and eight minutes.

World number 106 and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Somdev then clinched the issue for India by edging past 464-ranked Danai Udomchoke 7-5, 7-5 in one hour and 43 minutes.

Sanam broke his rival in the second game and then held his own to take a 3-0 lead. The Indian broke the Thai one more time in the sixth game and served out the set. 

Wachiramanowong raised his game and posed tough challenge in the second set and then broke Sanam in the sixth game but the Indian knew how to overcome his rival.

The second singles was a close affair with Udomchoke engaging Somdev in a gruelling fight. The opening set went on serve till 11 games but Somdev got the elusive break in the 12th game to nose ahead. 

The Indian again broke the Thai for an early lead but Udomchoke broke back and yet again the set got stretched to the full length. 

Somdev broke Udomchoke for one last time in the 12th game to ensure India's passage to the semifinals.