Fantastic fight back from Ukraine’s Kichenok sisters oust Mirza and Raina from Tokyo 2020 in Women’s doubles

By Saurabh Singh | AITA

Indian team in the Women’s doubles Tennis discipline, comprising of four-time Olympian Sania Mirza and Olympics debutant Ankita Raina, lost their first round match against Ukrainian twins Nadiia Kichenok and Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-0, 6-7, 8-10 at court no 11 of the Ariake Tennis Park today.

In yet another rollercoaster of a match for Team India after yesterday’s Sumit Nagal’s first round win in Men’s singles, Mirza and Raina were off to a flying start and pocketed the first set 6-0 in just 21 minutes.

The Ukrainians, in the second set, got their composure and staged a brilliant come back.

In the super tie break, Indians were struggling at 4-8 but somehow kept the hopes alive to bring it to 8-8. The Indian resistance, however, did not last long and the Kichenok sisters completed the win 10-8 and advanced to the second round in Women’s doubles.

Indian hopes remain alive in Men’s singles tennis discipline where Sumit Nagal is slated to face world number 2 Russian Daniil Medvedev.

Photo: KOPATSCH/SATO/SIDORJAK