Ahmedabad, Dec 12 (IANS) The day four of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) season 7 opened with the home side Gujarat Panthers taking on the Gurgaon Grand Slammers at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium.

The women’s singles contest set the tone for a tightly fought opener. Sahaja Yamalapalli, representing the Gurgaon Grand Slammers, squared off against Italy’s Nuria Brancaccio.

In a match defined by long rallies and bold shot-making, Sahaja held her nerve to edge out Brancaccio 13–12, sealing her second win of the tournament by a slender one-point margin.

Sahaja carried her momentum into the Mixed Doubles, where she partnered Sriram Balaji against the Gujarat Panthers duo of Nuria Brancaccio and Anirudh Chandrasekar.

The Grand Slammers showcased a classic display of clean returning and controlled net play to take the match 14–11, extending their early advantage in the tie.

The momentum shifted in the men’s singles. Alexandre Muller stepped up for the home side against Dan Evans. The Frenchman delivered a composed and authoritative performance, pulling things back for the Gujarat Panthers with a 14–11.

The men’s doubles brought the highest intensity of the tie. Anirudh Chandrasekar and Alexandre Müller faced Sriram Balaji and Dan Evans, with both pairs producing tennis of exceptional quality.

In a match defined by fast hands, courageous net play and crisp ball-striking, the Panthers duo edged out a 13–12 win. With both teams locked at 50 points each, the tie ended in an overall draw.

In the second match of the day, the Chennai Smashers locked horns with the Hyderabad Strikers. The tie opened with the Women’s Singles, where Irina Bara faced Carole Monnet. Monnet continued her impressive run of form, producing another composed performance to secure a 15–10 win.

Carole Monnet then paired up with Vishnu Vardhan in the mixed doubles to take on Irina Bara and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli. This time, the momentum swung in favour of the Chennai Smashers. In a tight contest marked by sharp returns, Irina Bara and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli edged out a 13–12 win.

–IANS

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