Chennai Open: Vaishnavi Adkar runs out of breath against Zakharova

CHENNAI: The intensity with which seventh seed Anastasia Zakharova played was something Vaishnavi Adkar has rarely experienced. The Indian could not match that as she lost 3-6, 0-6 to Zakharova, who stormed into the quarter-finals of the WTA 250 Chennai Open on Thursday. Zakharova’s powerful forehand and backhand shots never allowed the Indian to settle. But for a brief period in the first set, it looked like Vaishnavi was enjoying the pace of Zakharova’s shots.After breaking at 1-2, Vaishnavi’s two first-serve backhand returns gave Zakharova a taste of her own medicine. But the Russian took it in her own way, taking the game after Vaishnavi committed a forehand error. Unforced errors continued to haunt Vaishnavi, who committed 32 in the match compared to her opponents’ 19. At 1-4, Vaishnavi failed to convert three break opportunities. Vaishnavi squandered her advantage with a routine backhand that failed to clear the net, allowing Zakharova to go ahead.After the sixth match, the Indian number one took a medical time-out during which her left thigh was heavily strapped. Zakharova was broken on serve for the set, but it made no difference.World No. 107 Zakharova stepped up her aggression in the second set, taking full advantage of Vaishnavi’s slower first serve for a winner.Linette moves into the quartersAfter seven first-round exits (excluding first-round qualifying losses) over the past four months, Magda Linette seems to be slowly finding her groove. The third seed overcame Moyuka Uchijima 7-6(5), 6-0 to advance to the last eight stage.Linette’s ability to return Uchijima’s first serve deeply unhinged the Japanese as Uchijima struggled to engage in long forehands in the second set and was handed a bagel after an even opening set.Upset win for Maaya-ShrivalliMaaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and Shrivalli Bhamidipatty made it to the quarter-finals after recording an upset win against third seeds Aneta Kladiva and Aneta Laboutkova. The Indian duo won 6-3, 6-2.