ITF Women’s Open: Ankita Raina, Zeel Desai make winning start in Gurugram


Gurugram, Feb 27 (IANS): Top Indian women's singles players Ankita Raina and Zeel Desai made a winning start in the main draw of the ITF Women’s Open Gurugram 35 and advanced into the pre-quarterfinals of the event being played at The Tennis Project here.

India’s best bet in the event, Ankita Raina on Tuesday took her first step to end her four-year title drought with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 win over compatriot Akanksha Nitture. Joining her in the last 16 was countrymate Zeel Desai, who recovered from an initial hiccup to register a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Vaidhei Chaudhari.

In the other two first-round singles matches of the day, seventh-seed Jacqueline Cabaj Awad of Sweden brushed aside the challenge of wildcard entrant Kashish Bhatia 6-1, 6-0 while third-seeded Justina Mikulskyte of Lithuania overcame a set deficit to overpower Daria Kudashova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Meanwhile, three other Indians - Anjali Rathi, Vaishnavi Adkar and Madhurima Sawant -- entered the main draw after winning their respective final-round qualifying matches. India’s strength thus swelled to 12 in the main draw.

Ankita who last won a title in 2020 at the Jodhpur W25 was in fine form from the word go with a good mix of serve and a strong forehand, reached to a 3-0 lead with a break in the second game. Another break in the eighth game handed her the first set.

The second set too followed a similar trail with Ankita adopting an even more aggressive approach. With two breaks in the 2nd and 4th game, Ankita galloped to a 4-0 lead before clinching the set and the match 6-1.

Meanwhile, Zeel, who began by breaking her opponent’s serve in the very first game, held her serve to go 2-0 up. However, India No.2 Vaidehi not only levelled but went ahead 3-2 with a break in the fourth game.

However, Zeel clinched the first set 6-3, winning four games in a row. Zeel although lost her serve in the first game of the second set, she didn’t give a semblance of a chance to her opponent as she won six games on a trot to secure a place in the last 16.

Results:

Singles (Round of 32) (Indians unless stated): Zeel Desai bt Vaidehi Chaudhari 6-3, 6-1; 2-Ankita Raina bt Akanksha Dileep Nitture 6-2, 6-1; 7-Jacqueline Cabaj Awad (SWE) bt WC-Kashish Bhatia 6-1, 6-0; 3-Justina Mikulskyte (LTU) bt Daria Kudashova 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Final Qualifying round: 16-Anjali Rathi bt 6-Sowjanya Bavisetti 4-6, 6-3, 11-9; 2-Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) bt 11-Yashaswini Panwar 6-3, 6-2; 4-Vaishnavi Adkar bt 9-Saumya Vig 6-0, 2-6, 10-7; 5-Ekaterina Kazionova bt Shria Atturu (USA) 6-1, 6-0; 7-Rinon Okuwaki (JPN) Vs. 10-Kundali Majgaine 6-3, 6-7 (3), 10-3; 8-Madhurima Sawant bt 15-Snehal Mane 7-6 (1), 6-4; 3-Michika Ozeki (JPN) bt Sonal Patil 6-3, 6-4; 12- Abhilasha Bista (NEP) bt Siri Patil 6-4, 6-1.

Doubles (Round of 16): Akiko Omae (JPN)/Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) bt Vaishnavi Adkar/Humera Baharmus 6-4, 6-0; Ekaterina Kazionova/Yasmine Mansouri (FRA) bt WC-Sowjanya Bavisetti/Diva Bhatia 6-2, 6-2; 3-Anastasia Gasanova/Ekaterina Yashina bt Ayumi Koshiishi (JPN)/Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) 6-3, 6-3; 4-Yeonwoo Ku (KOR)/Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) bt Sharmada Balu/Ranah Akua Stoiber (GBR) 7-5, 7-6 (4).

 

  

Top Stories


Leave a Comment

Title: ITF Women’s Open: Ankita Raina, Zeel Desai make winning start in Gurugram



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.