CWG Tennis: Bopanna, Rushmi cruise to second round

NEW DELHI - India’s Rohan Bopanna and Rushmi Chakravarthi warmed up for the sterner tests ahead with uncomplicated victories in their opening rounds at the Commonwealth Games tennis event here Monday.

The unseeded Bopanna carved out an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 victory over Uganda’s Robert Buyinza to sail into the pre-quarter finals of the men’s singles at the R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium.

In women’s singles, Chakravarthi dropped only one game in beating Pinki Agnes Montlha of Lesotho 6-0 6-1.

The men’s match was not expected to spring any surprises and it went on expected lines as Bopanna cantered to victory in barely an hour.

The swift wrap up will keep the Indian in good stead for his tough mixed doubles first round match with Nirupama Sanjeev against the top seeds Anastasia Rodionova and Paul Hanley of Australia later in the day.

The sweltering heat, perhaps, kept spectators off the sprawling centre court, but a few young faithful added jest to the dull proceedings by egging Bopanna on.

The big serving Bopanna also did not disappoint the fans, booming nine aces in the match.

The unranked Buyinza was never given a chance to get into rhythm and Bopanna worked around in a business-like fashion to pocket the first set in just 20 minutes.

Buyina’s first serve improved in the second set and he even sent down two aces, but Bopanna was far superior to be rattled. Bopanna’s power-packed ground strokes were too good for the Ugandan.

The Indian closed the match in style with an ace, drawing applause from the sporting Buyinza who later wanted Bopanna to pose with him for a photograph.

Bopanna, however, can face a tricky pre-quarter final opponent in second-seeded Australia’s Peter Luczak who is scheduled to play Darian King of Barbados.

Rushmi, after the easy victory, said the match gave her a good feel of the newly laid court.

“It’s a good warm up match for me. She is an experienced player, but I hadn’t seen her much on the circuit”.

“But I had expected to win and there were no problems. It’s good to get a feel of the court and wrap up easily as none of us has played on the newly laid courts beore,” said Rushmi, who would play third seed England’s katie Jill O’brien for a place in the quarter final.