Nirupama shows no respect for Arthi

Nirupama shows no respect for Arthi
KADANBARI MURALI

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 14: Ball boys mysteriously reappeared at the $25,000 ITF women's tennis circuit at the DTA complex today. In at least 10 out of 16 first round singles matches, players did not have to waste time running after balls, or risk injury looking beyond wooden boards with splinters. The organisers were able to save some money as balls did not keep disappearing and matches of course, got over much faster. The linesmen still have to get into their act, but perhaps, as they say, good things come in stages.

India No one Nirupama Vaidyanathan put an awesome display of power and precision in taking apart wild card Arthi Venkataraman. She later teamed with Tathiana Garbin to win their first round doubles match. The other Indians didn't figure on the winners list. Nirupama next plays Frenchwoman Marina Caiazzo, whom she beat in three sets in the first round at Manila last week.

Tordoff, who won 6-4, 6-4, (along with third seed Lucie Ahl), is coached by Ian Barclay, who was with former Wimbledonchampion Patrick Cash for 15 years -- according to Barclay ``from when he was very young through his Wimbledon title.'' Like Cash, Barclay also an Aussie, is presently settled in England.

Meanwhile, Sai Jayalakshmy began well and was then decimated, as Urska Vesenjak beat her 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Urska, watched by twin Masa (who lost in final qualifying) and her parents, grunted a la Monica Seles and cursed herself back into the match to win with absolute panache. The 17-year-old qualifier from Maribor, Slovenia, ranked 670, began playing on the circuit (with Masa) only in April this year.

Results

Singles (first round):1-Tahiana Garbin (ITA) bt Benjamas Sangram (THA) 6-2, 6-1; Abigail Tordoff (GBR) bt Rushmi Chakravarthi (IND) 6-4, 6-4; 7-Lorna Woodroffe bt Riei Otakeyama (JPN) 7-5, 4-6, 7-5; 3-Lucie Ahl (GBR) bt Olga Kaliojnaja (RUS) 6-3, 6-1; Q-Maria Kondratieva (RUS) bt Rika Fujiwara (JPN) 6-1, 6-2; 5-Rika Hiraki (JPN) bt Daphne van de Zande (BEL) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; 6-Nirupama Vaidyanathan (IND)bt WC-Arthi Venkataraman (IND) 6-0, 6-3; Marina Caiazzo (FRA) bt Katalin Miskolczi (HUN) 6-4, 6-4; Q-Urska Vesenjak (SLO) bt Sai Jayalakshmy (IND) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1; 4-Wynne Prakusya (INA) bt Helen Crook (GBR) 6-2, 6-3; 2-Katalin Marosi (HUN) bt Q-Tzu-Ting Weng (TPE) 6-3, 6-1.

DoubLes (first round): Katalin Marosi/Banjamas Sangram (HUN/THA) bt Manisha Malhotra/Ka-Po Tong (IND/HKO) 6-1, 5-7, 6-3; Nirupama Vaidyanathan/Tathiana Garbin (IND/ITA) bt Anna Nefedova/Keiko Tameshi (RUS/JPN) 6-1; 6-1; Katarina Daskovic/Riei Otakeyama ((YUG/JPN) bt Archana and Arthi Venkataraman (IND) 6-2, 6-2; Ju-Yeon Choi/Eun-Young Ha (KOR) bt Lucie Ahl/Abigail Tordoff (GBR) 6-4, 7-5; Rika Hiraki/Lorna Woodroffe (JPN/GBR) bt Sai Jayalakshmy/Rushmi Chakravarthi (IND) 6-1, 6-2; Rika Fujiwara/Wynne Prakusya (JPN/INA) bt Svetlana Mossiakova/Maria Kondratieva (RUS) 6-2, 6-1; Katalin Miskolczi/ Tzu-Ting Weng (HUN/TPE) bt Urska and Masa Vesenjak 6-0, 0-6, 6-4; Helen Crook/Victoria Davies (GBR) bt Karishma Patel/Radhika Tulpule (IND)7-5, 6-4.