Pune: The Indian team maintained their winning run at the Billie Jean King Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1, as the host secured a 2-1 victory against Hong Kong at the Balewadi tennis stadium, here.
India got off to an ideal start on day 3 courtesy Vaidehi Chaudhari’s splendid performance against Ho Ching Wu, even as the youngster played her first game of the tournament.Vaidehi youngster, fought hard in a tightly contested first set, winning it in tiebreak 10-8. Then she wasted no time to impose herself in the second set, eventually securing a 7-6 (10-8), 6-1 victory in 2 hours, 3 minutes, which gave India a 1-0 lead in the tie against Hong Kong.
In the second singles match, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty carried on her fabulous run in the tournament, maintaining a perfect record after three matches. The young Indian had to dig deep against Hong Yi Cody Wong in a three set encounter that lasted for 2 hours and 27 minutes. Shrivalli bagged the first set in a tiebreak, winning it 8-6. But her opponent fought back. However, the Indian had the last laugh by firing eight aces to secure a crucial 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory, giving India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie.
In their final match of the day, the Indian duo of Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare fell short in a hard fought battle against Eudice Chong and Hong Yi Cody Wong. The experienced Indian pair secured the first set in a tie-break, before the pair from Hong Kong fought back in the second set. And from there on Hong Kong had the better of the exchanges, winning the final set, and the match 7-6, 3-6, 11-13.
Suhana-sponsored Indian team will take on the Chinese Taipei in their third match of the Billie Jean King Cup on Friday.
Other results:
Thailand bt Korea Republic: 2-1.
Sohyun Park (KOR) bt Lanlana Tararudee (THA) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 (2 hrs 16 mins)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) bt Dayeon Black (KOR): 6-4, 6-2 (1 hr 33 mins)
Peangtarn Plipuech and Patcharin Cheapchandej (THA) bt Dabin Kim and Eunhye Lee (KOR): 6-2, 2-6, 10-7 [Tiebreak] (1 hr 19 mins)
New Zealand 2-1 Chinese Taipei
Monique Barry (NZL) bt Fang An Lin (TPE): 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 (3hrs 12 mins)
Lulu Sun (NZL) bt Joanna Garland (TPE): 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 (2hrs 12 mins)
Fang-Hsien Wu and Yi Tsen Cho (TPE) bt Aishi Das and Sasha Situe: 6-0, 6-1 (43 mins)
