India’s best bet in the ongoing Federal Bank ITF Women’s Open Gurugram 35 Ankita Raina took her first step to end her four-year title drought when she entered the pre-quarterfinals with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 win over compatriot Akanksha Nitture at The Tennis Project here on Tuesday.
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 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 good nick from the word go with a good mix of serve and a strong forehand while racing to a 3-0 lead with a break in the second game. Another break in the eighth 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) (all Indians except where mentioned)
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.
Singles 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)
