Sixth seed Megha Vakharia kept Indian hopes alive with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6(7-4) victory over Ankita Bhambri to move into the semi-finals in the $10,000 NECC-ITF women's tennis tournament in Pune on Thursday.
She will clash with unseeded Thai challenger Thassha Vitayaviroj, who ended the winning streak of Mumbai lass Sonal Phadke with a well-earned 6-0, 6-4 victory.
Second seed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan and third seed Karen Patterson of Great Britain complete the semi-final line-up.
Akgul, winner of $25,000 tournament in Mumbai last weekend, repeated her success over seventh seed Isha Lakhani, winning 6-0, 6-1 while Karen Patterson paid put to the aspirations of her countrywoman and fifth seed Chandal Coombs 7-6(7-4), 6-3 in the other quarter-final matches.
The hard-hitting Ankita, winner of the women's Masters 2001 title at the adjoining PYC Gymkhana ground, matched Vakharia stroke for stroke until a decisive break in the 11th game saw the latter capturing the first set at 7-5.
The second set lasted almost an hour. The more experienced Vakharia broke Bhambri's serve in the opening game but Bhambri broke back in the tenth game to level the score 5-5. In the tie-breaker, Vakharia's staying power stood her in good stead.
In the other quarter-final, 17-year-old Thai girl Thassha Vitayaviroj won the first set in quick time. But Sonal fought back to lead 2-0 in the second set after
breaking Thassha's serve in the opening game. However, that was as far the Indian could go as the Thai broke back in sixth, eighth and 10the games to wrap up the set and match at 6-4.
