Bopanna-sharan in doubles quarter-finals AFI to conduct fresh trial for Monika

PALEMBANG: Top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan breezed into the men’s doubles quarter-finals while Ankita Raina entered the last eight of the women’s singles at the Asian Games in Palembang on Tuesday. Raina, ranked 189, overpowered world number 243 Eri Hozumi 6-1 6-2 in a round of 16 clash.

Compatriot Karman Kaur Thandi, however, was disappointed after losing to lower ranked En-shuo Liang of Chinese Taipei. The world number 196 lost a close match against the 278th ranked Liang, going down 6-2, 4-6, 6-7 (4) in the pre-quarterfinals. Thandi also

lost a close mixed doubles match alongside the experienced Sharan.

The Indians bounced back

losing the first set before going down in the super tie-break. The eventual scoreline read 4-6, 6-3, 5-10. However, India had a good day in the men’s doubles as both its pairings reached the Rohan Bopanna

quarter-finals. Bopanna and Sharan sailed past Thailand’s Wishaya Trongcharoenchaikul and Nuttanon Kadchapanan 6-3 6-1 in another round of 16 match.

Ramakumar Ramanathan and Sumit Nagal, who both are singles specialists and were told to pair up at the eleventh hour, put up a spirited show to outlast Taipei’s fourth seeds Chen Ti and Peng Hsienyin 7-6 (5) 7-6 (2). NEW DELHI: Following a directive from the Delhi High Court, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Tuesday announced fresh trial for Monika Chaudhary in the women’s 1500 metre event at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday. According to a statement by the AFI on its website, a petition was filed before the court Delhi by Monika challenging her exclusion from the 1500m event for the ongoing Asian Games in Indonesia. AFI informed the court that her performance at confirmatory trial was not satisfactory and therefore, she cannot be considered.