HANGZHOU(China): The Indian duo of Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale overcame the Japanese pair of Ayano Shimizu and Shinji Hazawa in straight sets in the Round 3 match of tennis mixed doubles in the ongoing Asian Games here on Wednesday.
Bhosale and Bopanna took the first set which lasted for 30 minutes quite comfortably with a score of 6-3. The second set was a similar story as the Indian pair claimed it in 29 minutes with a score of 6-4 to seal the match.
Earlier in the day, the Indian tennis duo of Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni edged past home favourites Yibing Wu and Zhizhen Zhang in the Men’s Doubles quarterfinal to ensure another medal for India.
Ramkumar and Saketh booked their berth in the semifinal with two straight-set victories (6-1, 7-6).
Second seed Ramkumar and Saketh asserted their dominance in the first set as they cruised towards a comfortable first-set win by 6-1.
The Chinese pair struggled to match the intensity of the Indian pair as they fought hard for each point but fell short each time.
In the second set, they breathed down the necks of the Indian pair making it hard for them to break the serve, unlike the first set. The game went into the tie-break and India emerged victorious by 7-6 to ensure at least a bronze medal for India.
But there were a few upsets as Sumit Nagal’s journey ended at the Asian Games after he bowed out in the quarterfinal of the men’s single event.
Along with him, Ankita Raina also faced defeat in the quarterfinal of the women’s single event. Later in the day, Raina with Yuki Bhambri lost in a mixed doubles match too.
Nagal was beaten by China’s Zhizhen Zhang in three sets 6-7, 6-1, 6-2. He fought hard to win the first set 7-6. However, he lost his rhythm in the second set and lost by 1-6. The Chinese player outplayed him in the third set, defeating him 2-6. (ANI)