Ankita Raina and Riya Bhatia meet in pre-quarterfinals in $25K tennis in Solapur
Second seeded Ankita Raina sailed past Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine 6-3, 6-0 in the first round of the Precision $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Solapur on Wednesday.
Ankita will face compatriot Riya Bhatia in the pre-quarterfinals. Riya beat Saumya Vig for the loss of three games.
Ankita and Riya have played each other in the professional circuit twice in 2013 and 2014, with Riya winning two games in all. Riya, who won both the national grass court and hard court titles, has come a long way from that time and should provide an entertaining fare.
Jennifer Lukham beat Anna Morgina for the loss of five games to meet Yuan Yue of China in the second round.
Vaidehi Chaudhari was the only other Indian player to make the second round, as she beat Steffi Carruthers of Samoa 6-4, 6-2.
The results:
Singles (first round): Valeriya Savinykh (RUS) bt Ekaterina Yashina (RUS) 6-3, 6-2; Berfu Cengiz (TUR) bt Mahak Jain 6-3, 6-2; Daria Mishina (RUS) bt Mihika Yadav 6-3, 7-5; Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) bt Vlada Katic (ISR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; Yuan Yue (CHN) bt Pranjala Yadlapalli 6-4, 6-4; Jennifer Lukham bt Anna Morgina (RUS) 6-4, 6-1; Vaidehi Chaudhari bt Steffi Carruthers (SAM) 6-4, 6-2; Naiktha Bains (GBR) bt Ramya Natarajan 6-0, -4; Emma Raducanu (GBR) bt Despina Papamichail (GRE) 6-2, 6-1; Katie Boulter (GBR) bt Rutuja Bhosale 6-4, 6-1; Freya Christie (GBR) bt Soha Sadiq 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2; Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) bt Akanksha Nitture 6-0, 6-0; Sandra Samir bt Nudnida Luangnam (THA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-1; Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) bt Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) 6-3, 7-6(3); Riya Bhatia bt Saumya Vig 6-3, 6-0; Ankita Raina bt Valeriya Strakhova (UKR) 6-3, 6-0.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Prathiba Narayan Prasad & Soha Sadiq bt Arthi Muniyan & Avika Sagwal 6-2, 6-3; Daria Mishina & Anna Morgina (RUS) bt Jennifer luikham & Saumya Vig 6-2, 6-3; Sandra Samir (EGY) & Eakterina Yashina (Rus) bt Steffi Carruthers (SAM) & Snehal Mane 6-2, 7-6(6); Ni Ma Zhuoma & Yuan Yue (CHN) bt Akanksha NItture & Pragati Solankar 6-1, 6-1; Berfu Cengiz (TUR) & Despina Papamichail (GRE) bt Freya Christie (GBR) & Valeriya Strakhova (UKR) 6-3, 6-2; Punnin Kovapitukted & Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) bt Evgeniya Burdina (Rus) & Vlada Katic (ISR) 7-5, 6-3; Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) & Rutuja Bhosale bt Nudnida Luangnam (THA) & Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) 6-4, 6-1.
(Courtesy: The Hindu)
