Ranzi Sports

Eighth seed Sara Bejlek ended Sahaja Yamalapalli’s impressive run in the quarterfinals of the $100,000 KPB Trust Women’s Open tennis tournament at the KSLTA courts on Thursday.

Sahaja, ranked 315th in the world, had previously triumphed over two higher-ranked players but faced a formidable challenge against Bejlek, who is ranked 155th.

The 18-year-old Czech showcased her ability to deliver crucial winners and demonstrated excellent court coverage throughout the match.

Despite Sahaja’s aggressive strategy, a series of unforced errors ultimately hindered her performance.

Nonetheless, the 24-year-old Indian player had a commendable week and is set to compete next in the $70,000 ITF tournament in Pune.

In the semifinals, Bejlek will face Leolia Jeanjean, who achieved a remarkable comeback victory against second-seed Rebecca Marino of Canada, winning 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a match that lasted two hours and 37 minutes.

In the other semifinal, top-seed Tatjana Maria of Germany defeated Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee 6-2, 6-2, using expertly placed slices to neutralize Tararudee’s powerful groundstrokes and frustrate her opponent.

Maria controlled the match with her sliced backhand returns, forcing Tararudee out of her comfort zone. Despite a brief break of serve, Tararudee quickly fell behind 0-4. Maria took the first set 6-2 and continued her dominance in the second, capitalizing on Tararudee’s unforced errors to secure the match.

In last quarter final match Linda Fruhvirtova demonstrated remarkable resilience in her match against Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic.

She overcame an initial setback to secure a victory with scores of 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Despite facing significant challenges, the 19-year-old athlete successfully rallied to achieve the win.