[Tennis] Misc. Results for Indians abroad...

[Dinesh]

Sharmada Balu is having a successful week of the year (perhaps, her career?) reaching the semifinals of the W60 Pelham ITF in Alabama. With her Russian partner, Maria Kononova, she upset the second seeded team in the opening round and came back from a big loss to seal a 3-set QF win yesterday. The SF match is streamed live on the ITF site now.

[Atithee]

@Dinesh, is Ms. Balu having a career week in doubles? I was excited to read your opening line, but it seems she’s having success in doubles. Meh!

[Rajiv]

@Atithee, if Ms Balu's exploits confused you, then just go up one post about Dev Javia, a promising youngster got out of Junior ranks last year and who  has adapted to the Indian Principles & Ideology of Doubles with alacrity and makes the Dbls Finals of M25 in Croatia.
Ahhh.. our marauding Doubles players

[Atithee]

@Rajiv—I’ve often wished here that results of singles and doubles be in separated threads, but I understand the logistical difficulty. I have no interest in following doubles results, not even at slams, let alone lower tournaments. Thanks for the empathy.

[sameerph]

I would take it as something is better than nothing. Them doing well in doubles is better not doing well in singles as well as doubles.

Dev Javia went on to win his first ITF title when he won the doubles title at M25 In Croatia. Dev is only 20. So, hope this gives him some confidence to go on and achieve more in singles.

[Dinesh]

21 yo Prathyusha Rachapudi (WTA rank #1435) is in the US traveling with her mom participating in a few ITF tournaments. This week, she is playing in the $15K San Diego ITF, which happens to be my new city of residence. I went to the USD campus yesterday to support her during the QR1 match, which she won quite easily with a score of 6-4 6-2.

I chatted a bit while watching the match with her mother and she said her daughter wants to pursue full time career in tennis and that they prefer staying in the US to play often versus going back home and training and the occasional home tournament schedule (I asked if she was planning to play the 2 $25K Gurugram events). Prathyusha has a sister who is based in SF and works for Apple. After the match, I spoke with Prathyusha and shared about our forum, in addition to the ITD, in the event she needs any type of support while she continues to travel within the US. She was elated to hear that there are a number of Indian tennis fans that follow players like her through this forum. She will stay in San Diego this week and next, and after a week's break is planning to enter the 3 $15K ITF events in Los Angeles/Orange County area. Please reach out to me if you know someone who can help her with housing or anything else. I told Prathyusha that I will spread the word here and reach out to her once I hear from someone on the forum. Thanks in advance!

This week, in doubles, she is partnering a beach tennis pro, who is ranked #32 in the world, and is aiming to get back into the professional tennis circuit. I am not able to watch her QR2 match that is supposed to start right this moment but will be there tomorrow to cheer the duo. The matches are also streamed live on the ITF website.

I also watched Siddhant Banthia's regretful loss against an unranked local teenager, with an appalling score of 6-1 6-0. Sid left the courts as soon as he ended the match, so I couldn't talk to him. He is however, slated to play in the doubles draw tomorrow. There are also a handful of Indian and Indian-origin players who are featured in this week's tournament.

[sameerph]

Few second tier ( or maybe third tier, those not in top 10 ranked Indian players) have been playing in Vietnam futures in last 3 weeks. Not much success in first 2 weeks, nobody went past second round in first week, SD Prajwal Dev lost in QF in second week, this week finally a decent result as Digivijay Pratap Singh has reached the SF.

At M15 Tay Ninh, Vietnam

[R1] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) d. Ji Hoon Son (KOR,1165) 75 64
[R2] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) d. (3) Dominik Palan (CZE,630) 76(2) 64
[QF] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) d. (WC) Ha Minh Duc Vu (VIE,NR) 60 62

Next,

[SF] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) vs. (7) Tsung-Hao Huang (TPE,872)

[sameerph]

Digivijay makes it to the final.

At M15 Tay Ninh, Vietnam

[SF] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) d. (7) Tsung-Hao Huang (TPE,872) 64 75

Next,

[F] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) vs. (1) Nam Hoang Ly (VIE,434)


Nam has won the titles in first 2 weeks and is on a 17 match winning streak now at home futures series.

[vishalg]

Live streaming of the final should be available on this YT channel tomorrow.
https://youtube.com/c/TayNinhTVE

[sameerph]

Thanks, Vishal. Yes, live stream is available. Digvijay just took the first set 6-4.

[Atithee]

Lost in three sets.

[sameerph]

Yes, so many breakpoints on either side in third set. Digvijay could convert only 1 out of 8 breakpoints, Ly converted 2 out of 7.

At M15 Tay Ninh, Vietnam

[F] Digvijay Pratap Singh (IND,932) l. (1) Nam Hoang Ly (VIE,434) 64 57 46

[arjun2761]

Definitely step up in performance by Digvijay despite final loss. Hope he can sustain this performance going forward!

[Rajiv]

And watching the Finals invoked a far greater joy and pride , much higher compared to those exploits of the Doubles bandits.

[sameerph]

Jeniffer Luikham reached semi final in Tunisia.

At W15 Monastir, Tunisia

[R1] (7) Jenniffer Luikham (IND,921) d. Astrid Cirotte (FRA,1078) 75 26 62
[R2] (7) Jenniffer Luikham (IND,921) d. Carola Cavelli (ITA,NR) 62 63
[QF] (7) Jenniffer Luikham (IND,921) d. Chiara Girelli (ITA,1369) 36 76(6) 60

Next,

[SF] (7) Jenniffer Luikham (IND,921) vs. (5) Manon Leonard (FRA,746)