August 25, 2006	Friday	Rajab 29, 1427

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

KARACHI, Aug 24: Third seed Indian Karina Ahuja stunned top seed Pracriyawat Ratanakrong of Thailand in three sets to cruise into the girls singles final of the ITF Pakistan World Junior Ranking tennis championship at the Islamabad Club on Thursday.

She was home 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a little over two hours absorbing battle to set a date with fourth seed Parichart Charoensukployphol (Thailand) in Saturday’s final as the latter accounted for second seed Vishakha Sheoran (India) 6-2, 7-5 in the other semi-final.

After losing the opener and tied 3-3 in the second, Karina staged a remarkable recovery to turn the tables on her opponent. Pracriyawat dominated the opener breaking third, fifth and seventh game by hitting powerful forehand, backhand drives from the baseline to win 6-1.

Both fought neck-and-neck until 3-3 in the next set by holding their serve. Karina neutralised the lead taking the set 6-4 and went on to wrap up the match by taking the decisive set 6-3.

The pair of Omer Babar - Khurram Nazir thrashed fourth seed duo of Yasir Khan – Tanveer Ashiq 7-5, 6-3 to advance into boys doubles final.

Top seed pair of Ryan Cheung (US) — Krittanu Puthong (Thai) edged past Rahul Balwel - Gupta (Ind) in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to propel into the final.

Yasir Khan is drawn to meet Krittanu Puthong (Thai) in the first semi-final of boys’ singles while Tanvir Ashiq faces Akshay Kohli (Ind) in the other pre-final Friday.

Results:

Boys’ doubles: (semi-finals)

Ryan Cheung (US) - Krittanu Puthong (Thail) bt Belwal Rahul - Dhruv Gupta (Ind) 6-3, 6-4; Omer Babar - Khurram Nazir (Pak) bt Yasir Khan - Tanveer Ashiq (Pak) 7-5, 6-3.

Girls’ singles: (semi-finals)

Parichart Charoensukployphol (Thail) bt Vishakha Sheoran (Ind) 6-2, 7-5; Karina Ahuja (Ind) bt Prariyawat Ratanakrong (Thai)1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Girls’ doubles: (semi-finals)

Parichart Charoensukployphol (Thai) - Sara Mahboob (Pak) - Mohana Chintala (Ind) 6-2, 6-4; Prariyawat Ratanakrong (Thai) - Vishakha Sheoran (Ind) bt Saba Aziz (Pak) - Anoosha Aslam (Pak) 6-0, 6-3.