Shrivalli Bhamidipaty – 3 wins from 3 matches in Billie Jean King Cup matches at Pune | Tennis News

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty is on a roll at the ongoing Billie Jean King Cup in Pune. As India attempt to return to the World Group playoffs, the tall Hyderabadi 21-year-old is putting in consent performances, and has won 3 matches out of 3 played, with 2 more possibly to go, against Chinese Taipei and Korea.
India lost 2-1 to New Zealand, but have since beaten Thailand and Hong Kong 2-1 on their first three days. Shrivalli started with a 6-1, 6-1 dribbling of Kiwi Aishi Das on Day 1, and followed with a 6-2, 6-4 win again in second singles against Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee.
In her debut tournament for India, Shrivalli has been locking in the early singles crucial point at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex in Pune. Tall and a clean striker to baseline, even in punishing conditions where the heat in mid afternoons (touching 41 degrees) is keeping the ball flat, Shrivalli has kept her head to battle it out consently. Against Thailand she helped ease the pressure off Prarthana Thombre and Ankita Raina in doubles, with the unanticipated withdrawal from cramps of India’s No 1 Sahaja Yamalapalli.
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Hong Kong was a different matter, where Shrivalli took on the challenge of playing as India’s No 1 singles. She was helped Vaidehi Chaudhari, who beat Ho Ching Wu, in her debut game of the tournament. She first ground it out in a 10-8 tiebreak in opening set and took a shade over 2 hours to complete a 7-6 (10-8), 6-1 win for the 1-0 lead.
In the second singles match Shrivalli completed her hat trick. The youngster won the opener against in a tiebreak 8-6, but faced more resance from Cody Wong who bagged the next 6-2. However Shrivalli’s go-to this week has been her strong serve, and she used it to good effect to win in three,7-6, 2-6, 6-3 giving India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie.
The doubles turned out tougher. In their final match of the day, the Indian duo of Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare fell short in a hard fought battle against Eudice Chong and Hong Yi Cody Wong. The experienced Indian pair secured the first set in a tie-break, before the Hong Kong, China duo fought back in the second set. From there on in, Hong Kong, China had the better of the exchanges, winning the final set, and the contest at 7-6, 3-6, 11-13.
India will take on the Chinese Taipei in their fourth match of the Billie Jean King Cup on Thursday, April 11. Fang An Lee and Joanna Garden are most likely their singles players while Fang-Hsien Wu and Yi Tsen Cho could combine in doubles.Story continues below this ad
Top two teams advance to the World playoffs, and India will hope to keep their second place behind New Zealand beating Korea and Taiwan.
After three continuous days of play, Shrivalli’s fitness and recovery will be tested in the next two ties.