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Perna Bhambri was tested on court for the second successive day, but the top seed showcased her class rallying each time she was down to script a 6-4, 7-5 victory over sixth seed Nidhi Chilumula to storm into the singles semi-finals of the RGUHS ITF Kalaburagi Open here on Thursday.

In an upset at the tournament sponsored by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, seventh seed Eetee Maheta sent fourth seed Prarthana Thombare packing with a convincing 6-1, 6-3 verdict to get into the last four. “Everything went wrong today”, lamented Prarthana after the loss.

“If even one shot was working I would have been alright. I could not get that one shot going and it was a terrible day”, said the Maharashtra girl who trains at Hyderabad. “My serves was also bad and my returns were bad”, she added.

The quarter-final contest between Prerna and Nidhi began with the players trading breaks in the first two games. They then fought hard to hold serves till the ninth game. Serving to stay in the match, Nidhi found Prerna’s returns too hot handle and she also made it difficult for herself by serving two double faults to lose the first set.

The second set Nidhi holding a 4-2 lead after she had broken Bhambri in the third game. But the top seed showed her prowess winning the next three games to lead 5-4. Bhambri saw two set points being saved by Nidhi in the 10th game. However, in the 12th game, Bhambri enjoyed two match points, converting the first opportunity to surge ahead.

The match between Eetee and Prarthana turned out to be one-sided. The higher seeded managed to hold serve in the fifth game of the first set as her opponent raised the level of her game to breeze to a 6-1 win in the first set. The second set saw Prarthana attempting to make a match of it, rallying from 0-3 to level at 3-all. But her form slacked again and Eetee claimed the next three games to wrap up the match.

Thailand’s Tamachan Momkoonthod made short work of qualifier Aastha Dargude breezing into the last four with a 6-2, 6-0 and second seed Natasha Palha bested unseeded compatriot Sai Samhitha Chamarthi 6-1, 6-4. Bhambri will take on Momkoonthod and Natasha will clash with Eetee in the semi-finals on Friday.

Druthi-Kamran vs Nidhi-Eetee in doubles final.

In the doubles competition, fourth seeds Druthi and Karman outclassed unseeded Riya and Shweta 6-1, 6-3 and will take on second seeds Nidhi Chilumula and Eetee Maheta who defeated third seeds and last week’s finalists Prerna Bhambri and Kanika Vaidya 7-6 (7), 6-3.

Results: (Prefix denotes seeding): (All Indians unless mentioned).

Singles (Quarter-finals): (1) Prerna Bhambri bt (6) Nidhi Chilumula 6-4, 7-5; (7) Eetee Maheta bt (4) Prarthana Thombare 6-1, 6-3; Tamachan Momkoonthod bt Aastha Dargude 6-2, 6-0; (2) Natasha Palha bt Sai Samhitha Chamarthi 6-1, 6-4.

Doubles (Semi-finals): (4) Druthi Tatachar Venugopal / Karman Kaur Thandi bt Riya Bhatia / Shweta Rana 6-1, 6-3; (2) Nidhi Chilumula / Eetee Maheta bt Prerna Bhambri / Kanika Vaidya 7-6 (7), 6-3.