Bopanna prevails over Verkerk; Sania packs off Pennetta

Bopanna, who entered the main draw as a qualifier, rallied from a set down to pip the local wild card 6-7 (8), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in a gruelling contest that lasted over two hours. Such was the intensity of the match that no player faced a breakpoint till the third game of the third set. The first set went with serves till the tie-breaker as no player was willing to concede even an inch.

Verkerk, who once figured in the world top-15, fired eight aces against seven from Bopanna before the set was pushed to the deciding tie-breaker. It was fiercely fought tie-breaker, in which Verkerk prevailed after Bopanna wasted an early chance.

The second set had the same script, as it required another tie-breaker to spot the winner. The Indian made full use of his opponent’s faults and grabbed every opportunity Verkerk offered. Bopanna won the third and sixth points on Verkerk’s serve and did not lose any on his own to draw parity and forced a third set to decide the match.

Meanwhile, in women’s singles, Sania Mirza shocked fifth seed Flavia Pennetta in straight sets to advance to the second round.

Sania shrugged off her disappointing first match loss at the DFS Classic last week and went all out against her Italian opponent to register a convincing 6-4,6-3 win in one hour and 12 minutes in the first round. Both the players offered chances as the match witnessed a lot of breaks. Sania broke Pennetta, who is the world number 23, four times in the first set and dropped her serve thrice.

In the second set, the Indian raced to a 5-1 lead after breaking Pennetta in the second, fourth and sixth games. Pennetta tried to stage a comeback by breaking Sania in the seventh, but it was too late in the day.