Thailand tops pool, RI keeps winning in Fed Cup<\/p>\n
Associated Press
\nNew Delhi<\/p>\n
Top-seeded Thailand topped its preliminary pool in the women's
\nFed Cup Asia-Pacific tennis qualifying competition, defeating
\nfourth-ranked New Zealand 2-0 on Thursday after a four-hour
\ninterruption caused by a sandstorm and heavy rain.<\/p>\n
Organizers extended the session past midnight to complete the
\nevening's draw, making up for the delay caused by the season's
\nfirst showers, but still had to reschedule the inconsequential
\nThailand-New Zealand doubles match for Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Second-seeded Indonesia maintained its winning spree in Pool
\nB, rallying from the loss of the opening singles to spike host
\nIndia's challenge 2-1.<\/p>\n
South Korea, ranked third, kept alive its chances of advancing
\nto the semifinals by defeating Chinese Taipei 3-0 in another Pool
\nB match.<\/p>\n
Indonesia leads the pool standings with three consecutive
\nwins, while South Korea and India both have two wins from three
\noutings.<\/p>\n
South Korea's 2-1 loss to India is causing it problems as it
\nbraces for its crucial pool encounter with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
China stamped its authority against the Philippines with a 3-0
\nvictory in another Pool A contest.<\/p>\n
Thailand and New Zealand were both assured of semifinal spots
\nin the Asia-Pacific Group 1 competition, which has two World
\nGroup playoff berths on offer.<\/p>\n
Thailand reinforced its top billing with Suchanun Viratprasert
\ndefeating New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 7-5, 3-6, 9-7 in the
\nopening singles and Tamarine Tanasugarn prevailing 6-3, 6-3
\nagainst Eden Marama.<\/p>\n
The Viratprasert-Erakovic encounter was disrupted midway in
\nthe second set as a sandstorm halted play, forcing players to
\nscamper to the dressing room before heavy rains lashed New
\nDelhi's Khanna Tennis Stadium courts.<\/p>\n
Host India was given a winning start by Ankita Bhambri, who
\nprevailed 6-4, 6-4 over Sandy Gumulya of Indonesia in the rain-
\ninterrupted opening singles.<\/p>\n
Bhambri was on match point versus Sandy Gumulya when the
\nplayers were ordered off the court. She was serving on 40-30
\nwhile leading 5-4 in the second set at the interruption.<\/p>\n
Two hours later, Bhambri came back to claim the point against
\nSandy before it began raining again.<\/p>\n
The second singles tie between India's Sania Mirza and
\nIndonesian Wynne Prakusya began after another two-hour break.<\/p>\n
Wynne won it 7-5, 6-4 to set up a decisive doubles encounter,
\nwhich the Indonesian pair of Wynne and Angelique Widjaja clinched
\n7-6 (2), 6-3 against Mirza and Manisha Malhotra.<\/p>\n
India is still in the reckoning for a place in the semifinals,
\nbut awaits the fate of the Indonesia-South Korea showdown.<\/p>\n
South Korea's Kim Jin-hee carved out a rapid 6-2, 6-0 victory
\nover Hwang I-hsuan of Chinese Taipei before the sandstorm hit.<\/p>\n
Jeon Mi-ra came on to the court after the break and secured
\nSouth Korea a winning lead by wrapping up the second singles
\nagainst Wang I-ting 6-2, 6-2.<\/p>\n
Its doubles pair of Chang Kyung-mi and Cho Yoon-jeong
\ncompleted the South Korean domination by prevailing 6-3, 7-6 (2)
\nover Hwang I-hsuan and Wang I-ting.<\/p>\n
Yang Shujing put China on the winning course with a 6-0, 6-0
\nblanking of Filipino Alyssa-Anne Labay. Hao Jie stretched the
\nlead with a 6-1, 7-5 triumph over Czarina Mae Arevalo.<\/p>\n
Yang and Yu Ying rounded off the margin with a 6-2, 6-1
\nvictory in the doubles against Arevalo and Anna Patricia Santos.<\/p>",
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