Asian Games: India assured of at least five medals in tennis

Sania Mirza

Incheon: India are assured of at least five more bronze medals from the Asian Games after the tennis players put up an impressive display to reach the semi-finals of five events at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts, here on Saturday.


Sania Mirza

While Yuki Bhambri made it to the semi-finals of the men's singles event, India's doubles pair of Saketh Myneni and Sanam Singh, Yuki and Divij Sharan, women's doubles pair of Sania Mirza and Prarthana Thombare and lone mixed doubles pair of Sania and Saketh have all entered the last four rounds in their respective events.

Sanam knocked out
The only blot for India in an otherwise splendid day was the ouster of Sanam Singh from men's singles quarter-finals.

Starting the proceedings for India, Sanam put up a brave fight before going down 7-6 (3) 6-4 to Yen Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei in his quarter-final match.

But Yuki brought the smiles back on the Indian camp by thrashing Thailand's Danai Udomchoke 6-3, 6-2.

Then Sania and Prarthana took the courts and toiled hard for one hour 25 minutes to get the better of Thai pair Peangtarn Plipuech and Nicha Lertpitaksinchai 6-1, 7-6 (4).

Both the men's doubles teams then carried on the good work and made it to the semi-finals with straight sets win over their respective rivals.

Later in the day, the mixed doubles pair of Sania and Saketh too sealed their semi-final spot with a straight set victory.

All the semi-final encounters will be played today with the finals slated for Monday and Tuesday.