Sekar, Jayalakshmi in ITF final

Eighth seed Samrita Sekar upset fourth seed Sonal Phadke 6-4, 6-0 to sail into the women's singles final in the $5000 prize-money Indian Oil Servo-ITF women's tennis tournament at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana in Mumbai on Friday.

Samrita, who had ousted second seed Radhika Tulpule on Thursday, will take on third seed Sai Jayalakshmi in the final on Saturday.

National champion Jayalakshmi needed one hour 45 minutes to pip fifth seed Sheetal Goutham 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the second semi-final.

In the first set, Hyderabad-based Jayalakshmi broke Goutham in the third game but dropped her own serve in the sixth to lose the advantage. However, with a break in the crucial ninth game she took the first set 6-4.

In the second set, Goutham played an attacking game and with a break in the fourth game proceded to win the set 6-3.

However, Goutham ran out of steam in the decider after Jayalakshmi broke her in the third game. There were no more breaks after that as the Hyderabad star served out for the set and match at 6-3.

Sekar looked a much fitter and faster player than her opponent. After en erratic display in the first set, she did extremely well in the second to take the match.

Sekar broke local girl Sonal Phadke in the first game but dropped her serve in the next. It was the same story as she again broke Phadke in the third game but failed to hold her serve in the sixth. But she slowly settled down and called the shots to take the first set.

Yesterday's report
Samrita Sekar shocks Tulpule on way to semis