Vaidehi Chaudhari laid the foundation for India’s dominant performance.
| Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty starred in India’s victory.
| Photo Credit:
Kamesh Srinivasan
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty played a spell-binding game for more than two hours and a half to beat Hong Yi Cody Wong 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3 to clinch the tie for India against Hong Kong in the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup women’s tennis championship at the Balewadi Stadium on Thursday.
Playing without the services of the top player Sahaja Yamalapalli, the team was on shaky ground. Shrivalli had to step up as the No.1 player and she did so in style, taking her explosive game to a different level, much to the delight of the cheering fans.
Earlier, Vaidehi Chaudhari playing her first rubber in the event, overcame spells of nervous play to beat Ho Ching Wu 7-6(8), 6-1 in a contest that also spanned more than two hours.
Cody Wong was a much superior opponent and had the athleticism, craft and drop shots that teased Shrivalli right through the match.
It was courage backed by a superior game that helped Shrivalli win her third match in the current championship, from which the top two teams will qualify for the play-off.
India will play Taiwan on Friday and Korea thereafter.
Even though India won the tie against Hong Kong by clinching both the singles matches, the doubles had to be played, as every rubber, set and game would count towards ranking the teams eventually in the round robin league format.
After loss to New Zealand 1-2, India had done well to beat Thailand 2-1 on Wednesday.
The results (league): India bt Hong Kong 3-0 (Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Ho Ching Wu 7-6(8), 6-1; Shrivalli Bhamidipaty bt Hong Yi Cody Wong 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3; Ankita Raina & Prarthana Thombare lost to Eudice Chong & Hong Yi Cody Wong 7-6(2), 3-6, [11-13]).).
Published – April 10, 2025 09:09 pm IST
