GURUGRAM, Feb 27: Seeking to win her first title in four years, India’s Ankita Raina on Tuesday entered the pre-quarterfinals of the ongoing ITF Women’s Gurugram Open here with a swift 6-2, 6-1 victory over compatriot Akanksha Nitture.
Ankita last won a title in 2020 during the Jodhpur W25.
The second-seeded Indian appeared to be in fine touch, with a good mix of serve and a strong forehand as she raced to a 3-0 lead, having earned a break in the second game. She got another break in the eighth game, thus securing the first set.
Ankita adopted an even more aggressive approach in the subsequent set. She acquired successive breaks in the second and fourth games, sprinting to a 4-0 lead before finishing 6-1 to walk away with the contest.
Joining her in the pre-quarterfinals is compatriot Zeel Desai, who managed to outlast Vaidhei Chaudhari 6-3, 6-1.
Zeel got the break in the very first game and went 2-0 up. However, Vaidehi managed to draw level before shooting ahead 3-2.
Nevertheless, Zeel displayed great composure to earn her second break of the set and clinch it 6-3, winning four games in a row.
In the following set, Zeel lost her serve in the first game. But she barely allowed her opponent to settle down, winning six games in a row.
In the other two first-round singles clashes of the day, Swedish seventh seed Jacqueline Cabaj Awad saw off wildcard Indian Kashish Bhatia 6-1, 6-0.
Also, Lithuanian third seed Justina Mikulskyte fought off Daria Kudashova of Russia 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Meanwhile, three Indians — Anjali Rathi, Vaishnavi Adkar and Madhurima Sawant — sealed their place in the main draw following their respective wins in the final round of qualifying matches. The number of Indians in the main draw has risen to 12.
Other Indian results on Tuesday:
Singles Final Qualifying round: Anjali Rathi bt Sowjanya Bavisetti 4-6, 6-3, 11-9; Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) bt Yashaswini Panwar 6-3, 6-2; Vaishnavi Adkar bt Saumya Vig 6-0, 2-6, 10-7; Rinon Okuwaki (JPN) bt 1Kundali Majgaine 6-3, 6-7 (3), 10-3; Madhurima Sawant bt 1Snehal Mane 7-6 (1), 6-4; Michika Ozeki (JPN) bt Sonal Patil 6-3, 6-4; Abhilasha Bista (NEP) bt Siri Patil 6-4, 6-1.
Doubles pre-quarterfinals: Akiko Omae (JPN)-Ikumi Yamazaki (JPN) bt Vaishnavi Adkar-Humera Baharmus 6-4, 6-0; Ekaterina Kazionova (RUS)-Yasmine Mansouri (FRA) bt Sowjanya Bavisetti-Diva Bhatia 6-2, 6-2; Anastasia Gasanova (RUS)-Ekaterina Yashina (RUS) bt Ayumi Koshiishi (JPN)-Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) 6-3, 6-3; Yeonwoo Ku (KOR)-Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) bt Sharmada Balu-Ranah Akua Stoiber (GBR) 7-5, 7-6 (4). (PTI)
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