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Ton a day when three-setters became a norm, unseeded Riya Bhatia of India turned giant killer of the tournament ousting country-mate and tournament sixth seed Sharmadaa Baluu in a tough three-setter to move into the semi-finals of the KUDA Kalaburagi ITF $10,000 Women’s Tennis Tournament here on Thursday. Riya who accounted for fourth seed Dhruthi Tatachar on Wednesday was in her elements claiming the first set 6-3. However, the sixth seed from Bangalore rose to the occasion to claim the second set 7-5.

But Sharmadaa could not handle the pace and angles of Riya and succumbed in the third set to bow out of the tournament. Sharmadaa had the upper hand in the first set winning the first three games, breaking Riya in the second game. But the Delhi Lass showed grit and determination, raising the level of the game to win six straights games in a row.

There was a reversal of roles in the second set. Riya leading 5-3 was stopped in her tracks by Sharmadaa who clinched four games straight to level set scores at 1-all. The third set turned out to be a one-sided affair with Sharmadaa committing too many unforced errors and Riya capitalizing on it. Riya broke the Bangalore Lady in the second and eighth games to canter into the last four.

In another upset eighth seed Eetee Maheta (Ind) sent second seed Natasha Palha packing with a 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (3) verdict to make the last four, that match lasting 3 hours and 26 minutes. The match was almost a replica of the earlier match. Maheta was up 5-2 in the first set before the second seed Goan packed a punch to win the next five games to claim the first set.

The second set saw Palha leading 4-1 before Maheta clinched the next five games to win the set. The decider saw Maheta breaking Palha in the first game to lead 3-1. Palha broke back in the sixth to make it 3-all and the players then held on to serves to force the tie-breaker. From 2-all, Maheta clinched the next five points to surge into the last four where she will take on Riya Bhatia.

Top seed Prerna Bhambri rallied from a set down to defeat the impressive Kanika Vaidya 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 and will take on Thailand’s Tamachan Momkoonthod who bested No 3 seed Snehadevi S Reddy 6-4, 7-6 (3). In doubles competition, the fourth seeded pair of Dhruthi Tatachar Venugopal and Karman Kaur Thandi breezed past top seeds Sharmadaa Baluu and Natasha Palah 7-5, 6-3 to book their spot in the final.

They will take on No 3 seeds Prerna Bhambri and Kanika Vaidya, who defeated another Indian pair, second seeds Rana Shweta and Sneha Devi Reddy 6-2, 1-6, 13-11, in the final on Friday afternoon.