Lee and Sharipova will battle for Grade 3 maiden title

Top seed Lee Hua-Chen from Chinese Taipei improved her performance in ITF Grade 3 tourney as she reached the final at "Rajshahi International Junior Championships 2010" in Rajshahi, Bangladesh on Friday (February 26, 2010).

In the last four round, Lee faced the challenge from 15 years old Russian sixth seed Anna Tyulpa and she was relief to be able to overcome a thriller. Eventually Lee won 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 over Tyulpa and she will play her first ever Grade 3 final.

In the other semi-final, Sabina Sharipova of Uzbekistan had trouble in the opening set but she prevailed to win 7-6(2), 6-2 over Croat Donna Vekic. So, Sharipova will play her second Grade 3 final after Tashkent in April 2009 when she finished as runner-up.

Photo of Sabina Sharipova is courtesy of tashkentopen.uz

Destriana/Melita claim Grade 3's doubles title for the very first time

Fourth seed pair Bella Destriana/Cynthia Melita at an ITF Grade 3 tournament entitled “Rajshahi International Junior Championships” grabbed the title after they edged past third seed duet, Lee Hua-Chen/Sabina Sharipova (Chinese Taipei/Uzbekistan) 6-3, 6-4 in the final today, February 26, 2010.

It is now title number seven for Destriana and Melita as a pair and for the very first time they took the title at Grade 3 tourney. The other six titles came from Jakarta, Brunei, Surabaya, all of these in 2007. Then they were successful at Solo 2008 and also Bandung plus Surabaya, both in 2009. Destriana/Melita collected all these six titles and all at ITF Grade 4 tourneys.

For 18 years old Destriana, overall she has bagged 13 titles including the latest here in Rajshahi. While Melita has total of 8 titles now. The only title without Destriana as partner was at Brunei 2008 when she paired with Nadia Frederika of Indonesia.


Photo of Melita & Destriana as runner-ups of ITF Grade 4 in Jakarta last November together with winners, Tian Ran & Zhu Lin - is courtesy of Amin Pujanto

Top seed Lee no sweat into semi-final

Top seed Lee Hua-Chen from Chinese Taipei did not have to play at all as her opponent, Briton seventh seed Amy Askew could not play, so Lee won walk over in quarterfinal of an ITF Grade 3 tourney known as "Rajshahi International Junior Championships 2010" in Rajshahi, Bangladesh on Thursday (February 25, 2010).

Currently ranked at ITF 225, 16 years old Lee improved her performance in ITF Grade 3 tourney and she will appear in her first ever Grade 3 semi-final. Last year in Grade 3 tourneys at Rajshahi and Dhaka both here in Bangladesh, she finished as quarterfinalist back to back in 2 weeks. In the last four round, Lee will face the challenge from 15 years old Russian sixth seed Anna Tyulpa who bounced back from a set down to beat Thai qualifier Kamonwan Buayam 2-6, 6-1, 6-2. Tyulpa is playing her 2nd Grade 3 tourney here after India last January when she finished in round 16. Tyulpa has a title so far at India Grade 5 last September and she became quarterfinalist three times at Grade 4 tourneys in Nonthaburi, Thailand and then back to back in Manila, Philippines in 2009.

Two other semi-finalists are Croat Donna Vekic and Sabina Sharipova from Uzbekistan. In the last eight round today, Vekic had difficulty in second set but she won 6-3, 7-6(4) over "Special Exempt" Yin Xianghong of China. Vekic is 13 years old rookie and last October she claimed her maiden title already at Manama Grade 5 in Bahrain. Meanwhile Sharipova who has been focusing more on pro tour, today she survived a challenging duel from Indian Ratnika Batra but Sharipova eventually came out as winner after she secured 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 victory. Her best result was being runner-up at Tashkent Grade 3 in April 2009.

In doubles, fourth seed pair of Indonesia, Bella Destriana/Cynthia Melita booked their ticket to final as they continued their winning streak. In quarterfinal, duo Destriana/Melita faced such stiff fight from Bhuvana Kalva/Mandy Wagemaker (India/Netherlands) but at last the Indonesian pair won 7-5, 6-4. Then in semi-final, Destriana/Melita eased past fifth seed pair Huang Huai-Hsuan/Sanae Ota (Chinese Taipei/Japan) 6-0, 6-1. In final, the Indonesian duet will play against third seed pair, Lee/Sharipova (Chinese Taipei/Uzbekistan) who outclassed wild card duo Nikki Luttikhuis/Maurien Rikkert from Netherlands 6-3, 6-1.

Singles - Quarterfinals

(1) LEE Hua-Chen (TPE) d. (7) Amy ASKEW (GBR) walk over

(6) Anna TYULPA (RUS) d. (Q) Kamonwan BUAYAM (THA) 26 61 62

Donna VEKIC (CRO) d. (SE) YIN Xianghong (CHN) 63 76(4)

Sabina Sharipova (UZB) d. Ratnika Batra (IND) 62 36 60


Doubles - Quarterfinals

(WC) LUTTIKHUIS/RIKKERT (NED) defeated (7) IP/PATRIMONIO (HKG/PHI) 60 57 (10-6)

(3) LEE/SHARIPOVA (TPE/UZB) defeated DENG/OU (CHN) 61 46 (10-7)

(4) DESTRIANA/MELITA (INA) defeated KALVA/WAGEMAKER (IND/NED) 75 64

(5) HUANG/OTA (TPE/JPN) defeated ASKEW/ASKEW (GBR) walk over

Doubles - Semi-finals

(3) LEE/SHARIPOVA (TPE/UZB) defeated (WC) LUTTIKHUIS/RIKKERT (NED) 63 61

(4) DESTRIANA/MELITA (INA) defeated (5) HUANG/OTA (TPE/JPN) 60 61

Melita and Syarifah fall in round 16

The only two Indonesian girls left till third round or round 16 of an ITF Grade 3 tourney known as "Rajshahi International Junior Championships 2010" in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, eventually suffered losses on Wednesday (February 23, 2010).

Unseeded Cynthia Melita, could not keep up with her opponent's game and bowed out to seventh seed Amy Askew of Great Britain 4-6, 2-6. Melita's defeat was followed by 12th seed Nadya Syarifah who was beaten by Russian sixth seed Anna Tyulpa 1-6, 3-6.

Top seed Lee Hua-Chen from Chinese Taipei cruised into quarterfinal as she managed to escape a scare by Hong Kong prodigy, Katherine IP and eventually Lee prevailed to win 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. In the last eight round, Lee will face Briton seventh seed Askew.

It is still fine to call it a shock as 15 years old Sabina Sharipova of Uzbekistan gunned down Indian second seed Ankita Raina 6-3, 6-3. In quarterfinal Sharipova will play against another Indian player, Ratnika Batra who made a surprise also by ousting Pinoy 14th seed Anna-Clarice Patrimonio 6-4, 6-0.

Another surprise was capitalized by Thai qualifier Kamonwan Buayam as she bounced back after a set deficit and edged past 16th seed Tsao Fang-Chi from Chinese Taipei 3-6, 6-0, 6-2. Buayam will meet Russian sixth seed Tyulpa in the last eight round.

Then China's Yin Xianghong who entered main draw here with "Special Exempt" also added more surprises after she eased past affluent Japanese 14th seed Sanae Ota 6-2, 6-2. In quarterfinal Yin will face Croat Donna Vekic who battled past Briton Sian Bayliss 7-5, 6-2.

In doubles, fourth seed pair of Indonesia, Bella Destriana/Cynthia received bye in the first round. Then in second round or round 16, duo Destriana/Melita advanced into quarterfinal after they edged past Chuen Chu-Chen/Tsao from Chinese Taipei 6-2, 6-4. In the last eight round, the Indonesian pair will play against Bhuvana Kalva/Mandy Wagemaker (India/Netherlands) who created a shock as they cruised past sixth seed duet from India, Batra and Sharon Sanchana Paul 6-4, 1-6, (10-3).

Singles - 3rd round or round 16

(1) LEE Hua-Chen (TPE) d. Katherine IP (HKG) 63 46 63

(7) Amy ASKEW (GBR) d. Cynthia Melita (INA) 64 62

(Q) Kamonwan BUAYAM (THA) d. (16) TSAO Fang-Chi (TPE) 36 60 62

(6) Anna TYULPA (RUS) d. (12) Nadya SYARIFAH (INA) 61 63

Donna VEKIC (CRO) d. Sian BAYLISS (GBR) 75 62

(SE) YIN Xianghong (CHN) d. (14) Sanae OTA (JPN) 62 62

Ratnika BATRA (IND) d. (10) Anna Clarice PATRIMONIO (PHI) 64 60

Sabina Sharipova (UZB) d. (2) Ankita RAINA (IND) 63 63


Doubles - 1st round or round 32

(1) PATEL/RAINA (IND) BYE
(WC) LUTTIKHUIS/RIKKERT (NED) defeated KAO/SHARMIN ALAM (TPE/BAN) 6-1 6-2
NANDAKUMAR/PEDDI REDDY (IND) vs BAYLISS/MULLINS (GBR)
(7) IP/PATRIMONIO (HKG/PHI) BYE

(3) LEE/SHARIPOVA (TPE/UZB) BYE
CHAMARTHI/JOON (IND) vs BABU RAJ/BUAYAM (IND/THA)
DENG/OU (CHN) defeated HERLINA/SYARIFAH (INA) 6-0 6-2
(8) BAVISETTI/VAIDYA (IND) BYE

(6) BATRA/PAUL (IND) BYE
KALVA/WAGEMAKER (IND/NED) defeated BHOSALE/YIN (IND/CHN) 6-3 6-3
CHUEN/TSAO (TPE) vs KHANIEJO/NAIK (IND)
(4) DESTRIANA/MELITA (INA) BYE

(5) HUANG/OTA (TPE/JPN) BYE
SILVA/VEKIC (GBR/CRO) defeated BATTH/BATTH (IND) 4-6 6-3 [12-10]
ASKEW/ASKEW (GBR) defeated DANGWAL/RANA (IND) 6-2 6-2
(2) THONGSING/TYULPA (THA/RUS) BYE

Doubles - 2nd round or round 16

(WC) LUTTIKHUIS/RIKKERT (NED) defeated (1) PATEL/RAINA (IND) 64 46 (11-9)

(7) IP/PATRIMONIO (HKG/PHI) defeated BAYLISS/MULLINS (GBR) 63 63

(3) LEE/SHARIPOVA (TPE/UZB) defeated BABU RAJ/BUAYAM (IND/THA) 63 63

DENG/OU (CHN) defeated (8) BAVISETTI/VAIDYA (IND) 75 61

KALVA/WAGEMAKER (IND/NED) defeated (6) BATRA/PAUL (IND) 64 16 (10-3)

(4) DESTRIANA/MELITA (INA) defeated CHUEN/TSAO (TPE) 62 64

(5) HUANG/OTA (TPE/JPN) defeated SILVA/VEKIC (GBR/CRO) 64 64

ASKEW/ASKEW (GBR) defeated (2) THONGSING/TYULPA (THA/RUS) 16 76(3) (10-8)

Ysidora keeps reaching new career high

WTA rank for Indonesian players as at February 22, 2010

Singles
1. 295 (297) Ayu Fani Damayanti - 145 points, 13 tourneys
2. 405 (404) Lavinia Tananta - 85 points, 11 tourneys
3. 450 (456) Jessy Rompies - 72 points, 15 tourneys
4. 612 (615) Sandy Gumulya - 40 points, 8 tourneys
5. 662 (665) Romana Tedjakusuma - 33 points, 7 tourneys
6. 753 (754) Grace Sari Ysidora - 22 points, 3 tourneys
7. 886 (887) Beatrice Gumulya - 13 points, 7 tourneys

Grace Sari Ysidora, the sole junior player with WTA ranking, continues to reach her new career high at WTA 753. Meanwhile leading the pack is still Ayu Fani Damayanti at WTA 295, followed with Tananta at WTA 405, then Rompies at WTA 450 and after that Gumulya at WTA 612, Tedjakusuma at WTA 662 and the last one is younger Gumulya at WTA 886.


Doubles
1. 140 (142) Yayuk Basuki - 489 points, 12 tourneys
2. 270 (270) Romana Tedjakusuma - 208 points, 9 tourneys
3. 309 (307) Lavinia Tananta - 171 points, 13 tourneys
4. 312 (310) Jessy Rompies - 170 points, 15 tourneys
5. 358 (357) Ayu Fani Damayanti - 138 points, 8 tourneys
6. 384 (384) Beatrice Gumulya - 123 points, 12 tourneys
7. 811 (814) Sandy Gumulya - 21 points, 3 tourneys
8. 811 (814) Laili Rahmawati Ulfa - 21 points, 3 tourneys

Melita and Syarifah cruise into round 16

Only two of three Indonesian girls continued their action at an ITF Grade 3 tourney called "Rajshahi International Junior Championships 2010" in Rajshahi, Bangladesh on Tuesday (February 23, 2010). In second round or round 32, unseeded Cynthia Melita and 12th seed Nadya Syarifah claimed their victory, while fifth seed Bella Destriana stumbled.

Hard hitter Melita, since she is non-seeded player, it is safe to say that she surprised ninth seed Sharon Sanchana Paul of India with 6-1, 6-0 victory. In third round or round 16, Melita will face seventh seed Amy Askew from Great Britain who also sealed an easy win over wild card Mandy Wagemaker from the Netherlands 6-0, 6-1.

Also reaching round 16 was 12th seed Syarifah as she dispatched Briton qualifier Roisin Mullins 6-3, 6-0. In third round Syarifah will challenge Russian sixth seed Anna Tyulpa who had to work hard to claim a victory over Chuen Chiu-Chen of Chinese Taipei 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Fifth seed Destriana suffered a loss after she was shocked and bowed out to Indian Ratnika Batra 2-6, 2-6. Batra, 15 years old, is currently ranked at ITF 517.

Winner of last week's Dhaka Grade 4 tourney, 15th seed Deng Meng Ning from China, also fell in second round as she was beaten by 15 years old Shabina Sharipova 5-7, 2-6. Sharipova is now ranked at ITF 521 and she has been playing pro tour more than junior circuit. Currently Sharipova is ranked at WTA 409.

In the opening round as seeded players, Destriana and Syarifah received bye. Meanwhile Melita and Efriliya Herlina had to play from first round. Without any difficulty, Melita booted out local wild card Sharda Sharmin Alam 6-0, 6-0. In contrast, Herlina still struggled to demonstrate her utmost capacity as she lost to Croat Donna Vekic 3-6, 2-6. After playing two tourneys in Bangladesh, Herlina is still unable to gain rank points.

Singles - Main Draw - 1st round (draw 48)

(1) LEE Hua-Chen (TPE) BYE
(SE) OU Xuanshuo (CHN) d. Smriti JOON (IND) 63 62

Katherine IP (HKG) d. Natalla KHANIEJO (IND) 64 60
(13) Adnya NAIK (IND) BYE

(9) Sharon Sanchana PAUL (IND) BYE
Cynthia MELITA d. Sharda SHARMIN ALAM (BAN) 60 60

Mandy WAGEMAKER (NED) d. Nithya Raj BABU RAJ (IND) 60 62
(7) Amy ASKEW (GBR) BYE

(4) Nova PATEL (IND) BYE
(Q) Kamonwan BUAYAM (THA) d. (LL) Rimpledeep Kaur BATTH (IND) 63 76(6)

Sai Samhitha CHAMARTHI (IND) d. (WC) Eden SILVA (GBR) 63 75
(16) TSAO Fang-Chi (TPE) BYE

(12) Nadya SYARIFAH (INA) BYE
(Q) Roisin MULLINS (GBR) d. Sri Vaishnavi PEDDI REDDY (IND) 64 64

CHUEN Chu-Chen (TPE) d. Shweta RANA (IND) 62 76(3)
(6) Anna TYULPA (RUS) BYE

(8) Sowjanya BAVISETTI (IND) BYE
Donna VEKIC (CRO) d. Efriliya HERLINA (INA) 63 62

Sian BAYLISS (GBR) d. Megha SEHRAWAT (IND) 63 62
(11) HUANG Huai-Hsuan (TPE) BYE

(14) Sanae OTA (JPN) BYE
(Q) Maurien RIKKERT (NED) d. Vaniya DANGWAL (IND) 46 63 63

(SE) YIN Xianghong (CHN) d. (Q) Rutuja BHOSALE (IND) 62 63
(3) Tanaporn THONGSING (THA) BYE

(5) Bella DESTRIANA (INA) BYE
Ratnika BATRA (IND) d. (Q) Sarah Beth ASKEW (GBR) 61 62

(WC) Nikki LUTTIKHUIS (NED) d. Bhuvana KALVA (IND) 60 26 60
(10) Anna Clarice PATRIMONIO (PHI) BYE

(15) DENG Meng Ning (CHN) BYE
Sabina SHARIPOVA (UZB) d. Kanika VAIDYA (IND) 76(5) 63

HSU Ching-Wen(TPE) d. (LL) Sansitha NANDAKUMAR (IND) 63 46 60
(2) Ankita RAINA (IND) BYE


Singles - 2nd round or round 32

(1) LEE Hua-Chen (TPE) d. (SE) OU Xuanshuo (CHN) 63 61

Katherine IP (HKG) d. (13) Adnya NAIK (IND) 62 36 60

Cynthia MELITA d. (9) Sharon Sanchana PAUL (IND) 61 60

(7) Amy ASKEW (GBR) d. (WC) Mandy WAGEMAKER (NED) 60 61

(Q) Kamonwan BUAYAM (THA) d. (4) Nova PATEL (IND) 76(7) 64

(16) TSAO Fang-Chi (TPE) d. Sai Samhitha CHAMARTHI (IND) 62 36 76(3)

(12) Nadya SYARIFAH (INA) d. (Q) Roisin MULLINS (GBR) 63 60

(6) Anna TYULPA (RUS) d. CHUEN, Chu-Chen (TPE) 36 62 75

(8) Sowjanya BAVISETTI (IND) d. Donna VEKIC (CRO) 62 61

Sian BAYLISS (GBR) d. (11) HUANG Huai-Hsuan (TPE) 63 63

(14) Sanae OTA (JPN) d. (Q) Maurien RIKKERT (NED) 62 16 61

(SE) YIN Xianghong (CHN) d. (3) Tanaporn THONGSING (THA) 36 76(80 12 ret

Ratnika BATRA (IND) d. (5) Bella DESTRIANA (INA) 62 62

(10) Anna Clarice PATRIMONIO (PHI) d. (WC) Nikki LUTTIKHUIS (NED) 16 64 61

Sabina Sharipova (UZB) d. (15) DENG Meng Ning (CHN) 75 62

(2) Ankita RAINA (IND) d. HSU Ching-Wen(TPE) 76(7) 62

Syarifah runs out of gas in the end

Hoping to exceed her career's best outcome, Indonesian fifth seed Nadya Syarifah showed her fighting attitude but in the end she just got worn out as she eventually lost to seventh seed Deng Meng Ning from China in the semi-final of "BKSP International Junior Championships 2010" in Dhaka, Bangladesh today.

Playing in her first ever Grade 4 semi-final, Syarifah failed to maintain her winning momentum in the opening set and despite her determination to fight all the way, she simply could not prevail. Syarifah bowed out to China's Deng 6-4, 6-7(8), 0-6. Deng is 16 years old and as per this week she is ranked at ITF 473 and is playing only her 7th tournament here ever since she began her junior career as of September 2008. Here in Dhaka is her first ever tourney outside China and last year in only her 2nd tourney, as a qualifier she became semi-finalist at ITF Grade 3 tournament in Xiamen, China. And only last month, Deng finished as runner-up at ITF Grade 5 tourney in Guangzhou, China.

In the other last four round, two Chinese players had to battle each other. It was indeed a different kind of duel, Yin Xianghong posted a relatively easy victory over Ou Xuanshuo 6-2, 6-1. Also 16 years old, Yin is only ranked at ITF 1655 right now. She started her junior career at "Thamrin Cup International Junior Championships 2008" in Jakarta. Back then she had to go through qualifying round and in the main draw immediately she lost to Indonesian top seed Grace Sari Ysidora in the opening round. Today's result is truly Yin's biggest achievement of her career.

In doubles, top seed pair Bella Destriana/Cynthia Melita also crashed out in semi-final today. The Indonesian duet bowed out to seventh seed pair of China, Deng/Ou 0-6, 3-6. In final, the Chinese duet then will face unseeded pair, Bhuvana Kalva/Mandy Wagemaker (India/Netherlands) who barely won over second seed duo Sowjanya Bavisetti/Tsao Fang-Chi (India/Chinese Taipei) 7-5, 7-6(4).

Singles - Semifinals

YIN Xianghong (CHN) defeated OU Xuanshuo (CHN) 6-2, 6-1

(7) DENG Meng Ning (CHN) defeated (5) Nadya SYARIFAH (INA) 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-0