Top seed Kadhe, seasoned Prerna move into quarters

: The energy-sapping conditions did little to curb the enthusiasm of participants who went through the grind at the DLTA courts in the Fenesta Open National Championships on Thursday.

Scorching heat did take its toll on players and there were a couple of mid-match breakdowns too, but the top seeds showed determination in pushing their way through the draw.

Arjun Kadhe, the top player in the men’s draw with an ATP singles ranking of 328, saw off the challenge of young Yugal Bansal 6-2, 6-3 to make the quarter-finals. Yugal got an early break of serve in the second set but Kadhe, who has been honing his skills at the NCAA college tennis circuit in the US, regrouped to take control. Pune boy Kadhe will next meet Ishaque Eqbal, who advanced as Jayesh Pungliya retired hurt.

Second seed Manish Sureshkumar played solid tennis to register a 6-4, 6-1 victory against Paras Dahiya who struggled with fitness.

Young Siddhanth Bhantia too had an easy outing, winning in both men’s singles and under-18 events. In men’s singles, Bhantia got the better of BR Nishkep 6-1, 6-1. He will face fifth-seeded Nitin Sinha in the quarter-finals. In the U-18 second round, Bhantia defeated Nishant Dabas 6-2, 6-1.It was a slugfest between two former champions, VM Ranjeet and Mohit Jayaprakash with the former winning the long drawn contest 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Ranjeet will next face thirdseeded Siddharth Rawat, who advanced when promising CP Anirudh retired, trailing 0-5 in the first set.In women’s singles, four-time champion Prerna Bhambri, making a return to the circuit after a spate of injuries, showed no rust as she beat a familiar opponent in seasoned Shweta Rana 6-1, 6-3 in the second round.

Key results: Second round: men’s singles: 1-Arjun Kadhe bt Yugal Bansal 6-2, 6-3, Siddhanth Banthia bt BR Nikshep 6-1, 6-1, 2-Manish Sureshkumar bt Paras Dahiya 6-4, 6-1; 3-Sidharth Rawat bt Anirudh CP 5-0 (retd), Women’s singles: 1-Zeel Desai bt Anusha Kondaveeti 6-0, 6-1, 2-Mahak Jain bt Avika Sagwal 6-0, 6-0, 4-Prerna Bhambari bt Shweta Rana 6-1,6-2; Sathwika Sama bt 7-Rishika Sunkara 6-1, 6-1