Poojashree Venkatesha thread ...

[jaydeep]

As Sameer mentioned in tournament thread, starting well deserving Poojashree's own thread after her first singles futures title ... She also lifted doubles title with Sanaa Bhambri ... So congrats her for double crown.

At $10K New Delhi 2009, India

[R1] (2) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND) bt Rishika SUNKARA (IND) 36 62 64
[R2] (2) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND) bt (Q) Nupur KAUL (IND) 61 61
[QF] (2) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND) bt (5) Sanaa BHAMBRI (IND) 62 26 64
[SF] (2) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND) bt (4) Isha LAKHANI (IND) 57 62 64

Singles Final
(2) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND,459) bt (1) Emily WEBLEY-SMITH (GBR,324) 76(8) 62

[PKBasu]

Excellent scalp in the final, and a couple of impressive wins in the previous two rounds as well. Congratulations to Poojashree!

[sameerph]

Thanks, Jaydeep for starting this thread.

As Jay mentioned in the tournament thread, 19 year old Mysore girl Poojashree Venketesh looks to be the only real promising player in 16-21 age group among women. Poojashree reached a career high of 39 on ITF junior tour , although she never did well in the grand slams losing in first round of all 4 grand slams that she played ( she never really had proper preparation for them mostly turning up just for the tournament.).

I need to make a small correction in what I mentioned in tournament thread. This is actually Poojahree's second ITF title . She had won $ 10 K tournament in Islamabad last November. Besides, she has lost in fianl of $ 10 k event in Kazakhstan in April.

This win wil move here ranking to arounnd 425. She is in the entry list of 3 $ 10K events in Thailand starting on Monday.

Go Poojashree.

[jayakris]

Yep, it is her second title. The first one was in Islamabad earlier this year. It was a muich easier event, as she beat some easier Indian girls, though the final was an upset of the top-400 Korean - so the title was indeed "earned" the hard way.

Even the final she lost among the three finals, was a close one. Earlier she used to win a round very easily but when she lost she used to go down rather tamely, which made me feel that may be the proper fire was not in the belly. Those impressions are definitely changing. She seems focussed and ready to do something with her career.

I believe GVK is supporting her. She has travelled abroad quite a bit since April, and the results are definitely coming!.

She is in the list for the three events in Nonthaburi starting nex week. I suggest she drop one of the weeks. It is not good to play too many matches over a 5 week period - injury/fatigue concerns. There are also three $10K events in India (Bangalore, Delhi, Dehra Dun) in the three weeks following it. My suggestion would be to drop the third week of Nonthburi and play the following three in India.

After those 5 or 6 more $10K events, where I am sure she will pick up at least 30 odd points to her current total of 88), she should be close to #350 .. Then the next big one would be the big $50K in Pune in November!

Thank you Lord. We finally have somebody to follow on the ITF women's circuit. She is the #3 Indian behind Sania already, and I think she will pass #394 Ankita fairly soon, unless Ankita decides to gets out there and make a fight of it.

Jay

[gbelday]

Great job Poojashree!! Congratulations. Been waiting for this for a while now!

[vidhyashankar]

Nice Independence Day gift from Poojashree!!...To beat a briton in the final is the Icing on the cake...

[sameerph]

This is a match report from yesterday's match from Hindu -

Poojashree Venkatesh has the last laugh

It is nice to know that service has been one of her strengths.

[Saniapower]

Great news. bigger than Somdev victory over Cilic. another good news is service her strength, She served 5 aces in the 2nd set.
Want to see Poojashree and Sania represent india in the Fed cup. Just hoping Sania will get a new real friend on tour which she had missed all her career. but still long way to go.

[sameerph]

At $10K ITF , Nothanburi, Thailand

[R1] (2) VENKATESHA, Poojashree (IND,459) v. (WC) MAHAJAROENKUL, Satjaporn (THA,1065)

[R1] SOLANKI, Kumari-Sweta (IND,791) v. GUMULYA, Beatrice (INA,895)

I think since only 2 Indians are playing here we can discuss this in Poojashree's thread.

[Saniapower]

At $10K ITF , Nothanburi, Thailand

[R1] (2) VENKATESHA, Poojashree (IND,459) d. (WC) MAHAJAROENKUL, Satjaporn (THA,1065) 6-2,6-1

[R1] SOLANKI, Kumari-Sweta (IND,791) l. GUMULYA, Beatrice (INA,895) 6-1,6-2

[R2] (2) VENKATESHA, Poojashree (IND,459) v. LERTPITAKSINCHAI, Nicha (THA,921)

[sameerph]

At $10K ITF , Nothanburi, Thailand

[R2] (2) VENKATESHA, Poojashree (IND,459) l. LERTPITAKSINCHAI, Nicha (THA,921) 46 26

Nicha is a talented player who fought well against Sania in Pattaya but still unexpected easy loss for Poojashree.

[Atithee]

-- Anyone's guess why I am banging my head against the wall. Hint -- it has nothing to do with Poojashree's loss!

[kujo]

-- Anyone's guess why I am banging my head against the wall. Hint -- it has nothing to do with Poojashree's loss!

Poojashree is a talented player who won a 10K ITF title just last week beating a higher ranked Briton.

[sameerph]

At $10K ITF , Nothanburi, Thailand ( Week 2)

[R1] (5) Poojashree VENKATESHA (IND,416) d. Natchanok SAENYAUKHOT (THA,980) 61 61

[R1] Kumari-Sweta SOLANKI (IND,796) l. Nungnadda WANNASUK (THA,538) 26 06

Good start by Poojashree.

[prasen9]

-- Anyone's guess why I am banging my head against the wall. Hint -- it has nothing to do with Poojashree's loss!

Because: 1. you have a head, 2. it is your head, 3. you felt like banging it, 4. the wall was the close by to your head when you felt like banging it (the head, not the wall that is, well, actually both your head and the wall were near your head, so I take it back), 5. did I say it was not Jay's head? 6. you are a masochist, 7. everyone following Indian sports is a masochist (by definition) and like banging their heads periodically, without which they have withdrawal symptoms, 8. you are too polite to be banging sameer's head, 9. sameer is too far away from you anyway, and, 10. there is this small issue about a girl named Nicha who fought someone somewhere and who is considered a talented player ...

Need more guesses, my friend?