Sharmada Balu lone Indian to make it to ITF quarters

Mumbai, Feb 16 (PTI) National junior champion SharmadaBalu from Bengaluru was the lone Indian left in fray as shescraped past compatriot Rishika Sunkara in three sets, to makeit to the last eight of the Endurance-MSLTA ITF Women''sFutures tennis tournament in Aurangabad.

Seventeen-year-old Sharmada came back from 4-5 down inthe third set to beat wildcard entrant Sunkara 7-6(3),4-6 ,7-5in a match lasting two hours and 57 minutes.

In other matches, top seeded Sung Hee Han of Korea,second seeded Nicole Clerico of Italy, third seeded VladaEkshibarova of Uzbekistan and fourth seeded VaratchayaWongteanchai of Thailand resgitered contrasting wins to makeit to quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, eighth seeded Ai Yamamto of Japan trouncedIndia''s Ankita Raina 6-4, 6-0 to make it to the last eight.

In the second round ties, top seeded Sung Hee Han (ranked396th in world) scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over India''s PreranaBhambri, while second seeded and 445th ranked Italian NicoleClerico blanked out wild card Kyra Shroff 6-1, 6-0.

Fourth seeded Varatchaya Wongteanchai of Thailand playeda three-hour match to get the better of Netherlands'' LisanneVan Ret 6-7(2),6-2,6-2, while sixth seeded Slovanian AnjaPrislan ousted Singaporean qualifier Stephanie Tan 6-3,7-6(0).

Third seeded Uzbek Vlada Ekshibarova breezed pastIsrael''s Ekaterina Tour 6-1,6-2, while Japan''s seventh seededKanae Hisami served out Italian challenger Indra Bigi 6-0,6-3.