A shock first round departure and defeat for a local favourite has capped off an epic day 5 at the Apis Canberra International.
Reigning 2015 champion Asia Muhammad (USA) was spectacularly eliminated in the first round by unseeded challenger and World No. 252 Varatchaya Wongteanchai from Thailand.
The almost three hour match went to three sets, Muhammad winning the first set tie-break, Wongteanchai took out the tie-break in the second, going on to claim the win, 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-4.
Canberra star Alison Bai was also defeated in her singles match, however will play on in her doubles partnership with Aussie mate, Lizette Cabrera (QLD).
In singles, Bai drew fifth seed Arina Rodionova (VIC), World No. 185 and 2016 Perth Tennis International Champion.
It was a hard fought match, Bai saved match point with an ace in the second game. However her more experienced opponent, Rodionova, proved too strong in the windy conditions, defeating Bai in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
The saving grace for Bai on Day 5 was her doubles win with Cabrera. The duo took a comfortable straight sets win late in the day against America’s Jennifer Elie and Katy Dunne (GBR) 6-3, 6-2.
The five remaining women’s seeds all progressed to the second round. Top seed Risa Ozaki (JPN) had a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 win over Australian qualifier Abbie Myers (NSW). Japan’s Hiroko Kuwata [2] survived a scare in her opening match, losing the first set to West Australian Jessica Moore before regrouping to win the 2 hour 31 minute match 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3. Sixth seed and 2015 Canberra International finalist Eri Hozumi (JPN) also progressed, earning a tense 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Katy Dunne from the UK.
Four Australians have today progressed into the quarter-finals to lock-out the bottom half of the men’s draw.
19-year-old Victorian and 2014 US Open Junior Champion Omar Jasika caused the upset of the day in the men’s draw, out-gunning sixth seed and runner-up at last week’s Latrobe City Traralgon ATP Challenger Grega Zemlja (SLO), Jasika winning 6-1, 6-4 in just 55 minutes.
Jasika will meet qualifier Greg Jones in Friday’s quarter-finals after the New South Welshman eliminated 18 year old Max Purcell in straight sets.
Wildcard entry Daniel Nolan (VIC) defeated qualifier Steven De Waard 6-2, 6-2. And ninth seed Marc Polmans (VIC) eliminated four time 2016 ITF Pro Circuits champion, Shuichi Sekiguchi (JPN) also in straight sets.
The order of play for Day 6 includes the remaining four second round singles in the men’s draw. Eight second round women’s matches will play out, with the opening match featuring top seed Ozaki (JPN) against Olivia Rogowska (VIC) as well as fifth seed Rodionova (VIC) taking on young Queenslander Olivia Tjandramulia.
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