Playing with plenty of exuberance and loads of confidence India’s Ankita Raina, a wild card entrant, produced an outstanding performance to sideline unseeded Russian Veronika Kudermetov recording a straight sets victory in a first round match of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series, played at the CCI tennis courts, on Wednesday.
Ankita Raina in action
The talented 24-year-old Indian, ranked 293, with her fine all-round play, started positively and in an aggressive manner to force the higher 233 ranked 20-year-old Russian rival, in to making too many unforced errors before coasting to 7-6(2), 6-3 in an hour and 35 minutes, to bring cheer to her supporters, who had turned up in fairly large numbers to watch the action on centre court.
Ankita is the first Indian to progress to the pre-quarter-finals after the other three Indians players Karman Kaur Thandi, Rutuja Bhosale and Zeel Desai, who were also awarded wild cards, lost to superior opponent in the first round.
The Indian player who trains in Pune mentioned that her coach Hemant Bhendrey had a role to play in the victory. “After getting a solid start, I had slowed down mid-way through the first set, but eventually I found my stride back again. My coach had advised me to keep up my rhythm and to be patient and wait for my opportunity. I normally play an aggressive game, but I was advised to wait for the right opportunities rather than going for every ball,” Ankita told media persons at the post match press conference.
“It was quite breezy but it did not stop me from going for my shots. I tried to adapt to the conditions by trying more different things, like increasing power at the right moments of the game and having to be more consistent and patient,” she further stated.
Oozing with confidence, Ankita with two early breaks raced to a 4-0 lead before Veronika finally got on the scoreboard by breaking the Indian in the fifth game. Later, Ankita played some amazing shots in the next game to hold three break points, but the Russian managed to save two before sending a return long which saw the India consolidate the lead to 5-1. But Ankita was unable to go for the kill as she dropped serve in the seventh game and in the ninth game she failed to convert a set point before dropping her serve for the second time as the Russian closed the gap to 5-4. Veronika went on the win the 10th to level scores and then both players held their serves as the match went to the tie-breaker. Ankita was all fired up in the tie-breaker and pulled through at 7-2 to pocket the opening set.
In the second set, Ankita broke the Russian girl in the third game and again in the fifth to stay in front at 4-1. The Indian girl broke for the third time in the ninth when the Russian after saving a couple of match points made another unforced error hitting a return long and Ankita celebrated her triumph with clenched fists and a loud scream.
There was more cheer for Indians as Karman Kaur Thandi and Pranjala Yadlapalli finally brought home a victory in the doubles event. They defeated the pair of Naiktha Bains from Australia, and Fanny Stollar from Hungary in straight sets on centre court. They won the match 6-3, 7-5.
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, ranked 78 in the world, from Belarus cruised past Priscilla Hon in straight sets to reach the round of 16. She won the first set 7-5 and followed it up by losing just one game in the second, winning it 6-1.
Meanwhile, World No. 210, Junri Namigata , from Japan advanced to the round of 16 as her opponent retired hurt. Namigata emphatically won the first set 6-1 and was leading 5-4 in the second set when Ianchuk had to withdraw from the game due to injury.
On the side court, world No. 244, Peangtarn Plipuech from Thailand caused an upset as she defeated sixth seed Lizette Cabrera in straight sets. The first set went down the wire with Plipuech winning 7-6 in the tie-breaker and wrapped up the match, winning the second set 6-2.
Results (1st round): Peangtarn Plipuech (THA) bt 6-Lizette Cabrera (AUS) 7-6, 6-2;
Junri Namigata (JPN) bt Olga Ianchuk (UKR) 6-1, 5-4 Retd.;
WC-Ankita Raina (IND) bt Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) 7-6, 6-3;
1-Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 7-5, 6-1.