India’s No. 1 women’s tennis player, Sahaja Yamalapalli, saw her impressive run at the ITF W35 Bakersfield Open come to an end in the quarterfinals, falling to Amelia Honer in a hard-fought three-set match.

Yamalapalli, who entered the tournament with strong momentum, started her campaign with a convincing 7-6, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Lily Fairclough, ranked 1075th in the world. She continued her winning ways in the second round, overcoming a tough challenge from the 712th-ranked American, Makenna Jones, in a thrilling 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 encounter.

However, her journey was halted in the quarterfinals by Honer, a collegiate player ranked 10th in the US. Despite taking the first set in a tie-break, Yamalapalli couldn’t maintain her momentum, ultimately losing the match 7-6, 2-6, 2-6.

Although disappointed with the quarterfinal loss, Yamalapalli will look to bounce back in her next tournament, the ITF W100 event in Macon, Georgia. This higher-level competition will provide another opportunity for her to test her skills against top players and continue her climb up the rankings.