Japnese qualifier shocks Kirtane
Qualifier Naoki Arimoto of Japan caused a huge upset when he beat third seed and first
leg winner Nitin Kirtane 6-3, 6-4 to enter the second round in the ITF men's Satellite tennis tournament in Mumbai on Tuesday.
In another upset, unseeded Igor Levine of Russia overpowered fourth seed Eliran Dooyev of Isreal 7-5, 6-3
in one hour 51 minutes.
Fifth seed Manoj Mahadevan of India was taken to the distance by qualifier and compatriot Anant Sitaram before
prevailing 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in two hours 35 minutes while unseeded
Rishi Sridhar needed just one hour seven minutes to dispose
off qualifier Roy Sichel of Isreal 6-0, 6-4.
Left-handed Kirtane, a former Davis Cupper, was off-
colour today against the fast-moving Arimoto. Kirtane, who also served poorly, dropped serve in the
seventh game of the first set before Arimoto served out the set
at 6-3.
In the second set, the Japanese got the vital
break in the ninth game and served out the set and match
6-4.
In other first round matches unseeded Vinod Sridhar of
India pipped compatriot and qualifier A P Rajagopalan 6-3,
2-6, 6-4 in two hours while top seed and Indian Davis Cupper
Mustafa Ghouse sidelined Giunior Ghedina of Germany 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in one hour 32 minutes. Eighth seed Rafael Moreno-Negrin had an easy time while beating Indian qualifier Saurabh Kohli 6-3, 6-0 in just 55
minutes.