<p>Indians won all their three matches — two singles and doubles — without dropping a set or breaking sweat.<br /><br />In the first singles, India’s No 2 singles player Poojashree Venkatesha outplayed Singapore’s Si Ying Julienne Keong 6-1, 6-1 and when Sania Mirza breezed past Li Yun Tan 6-2, 6-3, India had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.<br /><br />Sanaa Bhambri and Rushmi Chakravarthi completed the formalities, winning the doubles, 6-0, 6-2 over Clare Fong and Tan.<br /><br />India coach Enrico Piperno said the team’s real test is in their next match against hosts Malaysia. <br /><br />“Today’s result was expected. Sania really looked in good touch and I am glad she had a good outing ahead of our tie against Malaysia. It was a good warm up for Sania. As for Poojashree, it was easy,” Piperno said from Kuala Lumpur. <br /><br />The 32-year-old Chin Bee took to coaching besides playing in local competitions since quitting the national team a few years ago. Her return has beefed up the Malaysian team and national coach S Selvarajoo hoped her experience would add depth to the team. <br />Chin, whose highest international ranking was 360, played a key role in Malaysia’s 2-1 win over Singapore on Wednesday. <br /><br />Chin, as second singles player, put the hosts up 1-0 with a straight sets win over Keong in the opening rubber, but Malaysian No 1 player Jawairiah Noordin’s loss to Tan in the second rubber levelled the tie 1-1.<br /><br />Chin and Noordin then combined to win the doubles to clinch the tie. The winners of the two pools will meet in the playoff for a place in the Asia-Oceania zone Group I.<br />Meanwhile, India’s Somdev Devvarman defeated Brazil’z Thiago Alves 6-4, 6-1 to move into the third round of the Johannesburg Open.<br /></p>
<p>Indians won all their three matches — two singles and doubles — without dropping a set or breaking sweat.<br /><br />In the first singles, India’s No 2 singles player Poojashree Venkatesha outplayed Singapore’s Si Ying Julienne Keong 6-1, 6-1 and when Sania Mirza breezed past Li Yun Tan 6-2, 6-3, India had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.<br /><br />Sanaa Bhambri and Rushmi Chakravarthi completed the formalities, winning the doubles, 6-0, 6-2 over Clare Fong and Tan.<br /><br />India coach Enrico Piperno said the team’s real test is in their next match against hosts Malaysia. <br /><br />“Today’s result was expected. Sania really looked in good touch and I am glad she had a good outing ahead of our tie against Malaysia. It was a good warm up for Sania. As for Poojashree, it was easy,” Piperno said from Kuala Lumpur. <br /><br />The 32-year-old Chin Bee took to coaching besides playing in local competitions since quitting the national team a few years ago. Her return has beefed up the Malaysian team and national coach S Selvarajoo hoped her experience would add depth to the team. <br />Chin, whose highest international ranking was 360, played a key role in Malaysia’s 2-1 win over Singapore on Wednesday. <br /><br />Chin, as second singles player, put the hosts up 1-0 with a straight sets win over Keong in the opening rubber, but Malaysian No 1 player Jawairiah Noordin’s loss to Tan in the second rubber levelled the tie 1-1.<br /><br />Chin and Noordin then combined to win the doubles to clinch the tie. The winners of the two pools will meet in the playoff for a place in the Asia-Oceania zone Group I.<br />Meanwhile, India’s Somdev Devvarman defeated Brazil’z Thiago Alves 6-4, 6-1 to move into the third round of the Johannesburg Open.<br /></p>
