Uzbekistan will face against second-seeded India in the quarterfinals of World Junior Cup Asia-Oceania under-14 girls tennis championship on Friday.
It may be a much tougher challenge for India against the Uzbeks than what it had faced against New Zealand, Kazakhstan and Korea in the league.
Uzbekistan banks on Alisa Ogorodova, the 13-year-old daughter of the former Asia No.1 men’s player, Oleg Ogorodov who has accompanied the team as its captain.
Alisa lost a close three-setter to Cynthia Melita Setyawan of Indonesia, the top seed, and had to face the music from her father- cum-captain who did not let her touch her kit after the match when she was leaving the court and pulled her out of the doubles.
The young girl will be particularly keen to make her captain happy on Friday with a good fare that would possibly serve as a launching pad for a serious Uzbek challenge against the host.
The top four teams from the 16-nation regional competition will qualify for the World Group finals to be held in Czech Republic later in the season.