Karman Kaur Thandi overcame a spirited challenge from Sahaja Yamalapalli for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory in the first round of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Tennis Project in Baliawas on Tuesday.
On a day when the rain came down heavily in the morning at the start before giving way to a blazing spell of sunshine, the battles were intense.
The wiry Karman inspired her opponent so much with her power game that Sahaja latched on to provide a lively fare — thriving on the pace, moving briskly, and stroking confidently. Karman also faced the problem of her racquet strings breaking. Amidst all this, Karman retained her concentration to put herself in the second round.
