Indian tennis star Ankita Raina on Monday (May 24) notched up a hard-fought win over higher-ranked Arina Rodionova in the primary spherical of the ladies’s singles qualifiers on the French Open. The 28-year-old Indian, world ranked 182, confirmed nerves of metal as she bounced again from a set all the way down to beat Russian-born Australian Rodionova, ranked 168th, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in an exciting rain-affected three-setter.
Raina had reached the third spherical of the qualifiers in the Australian Open, the primary Grand Slam of the 12 months. Among different Indians in fray, Sumit Nagal will tackle Roberto Macorca in first spherical of the lads’s qualifiers, Prajnesh Gunneswaran will meet Germany’s Oscar Otte and Ramkumar Ramanathan will cross swords in opposition to Michael Mmoh of USA.
Raina amongst 5 athletes added to TOPS core group, monetary proposals of practically Rs 1 cr
Ankita Raina has been added to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) at a gathering held earlier on Monday. Raina who’s born and raised in Gujarat lately broke into the world’s high 100 in ladies’s doubles on the again of winning her first-ever WTA 250 title at Phillip Island in Australia. She has additionally been partnering with Sania Mirza whereas representing India in the Billie Jean King Cup.
“Apart from Raina, four other athletes who recently achieved Tokyo Olympic qualification were added to the TOPS core group, Rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh who were promoted from the TOPS development group, and wrestlers Seema Bisla and Sumit Malik,” learn a press release. Financial sanctions of practically Rs. 1 crore had been additionally authorized in Monday’s Mission Olympic Cell assembly. These had been: Wrestling – Asian champion Vinesh Phogat will proceed to coach abroad until the Olympic Games in July this 12 months. The Mission Olympic Cell at SAI on Monday authorized her proposal to the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, routed by means of the Wrestling Federation of India, to coach in Hungary and Poland after she finishes her high-altitude stint in Bulgaria.
Vinesh Phogat. who secured India the 53kg class Olympic quota in September 2019 on the World Championships, will prepare in Budapest till June 9, journey for the Poland Open (June 9 to 13) and return to Budapest to be primarily based there until July 2. Her coach Woller Akos, sparring accomplice Priyanka and physiotherapist Poornima Raman Ngomdir will probably be together with her all through.
The value of her proposal for coaching and competitors is Rs. 20.21 lakhs. She has to this point obtained monetary help of Rs. 1.13 crore from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
Tennis: Tennis doubles gamers Divij Sharan and Rohan Bopanna additionally secured approval from the MOC to fund their participation in 14 and 11 tournaments respectively between January and June 2021.
Divij Sharan’s proposal value roughly Rs. 30 lakh and he has obtained Rs. 80.59 lakhs in funding from TOPS in the current Olympics cycle. Rohan Bopanna’s proposal, together with charge for coach Scott Davidoff and physio Gaurang Shukla, value Rs. 27.61 lakh. He has already obtained Rs. 1.24 crore from TOPS by means of the present Olympic cycle.
Rowing: The MOC has additionally sanctioned a proposal from rowers Arjun Lal Jat and Arvind Singh to coach for 5 weeks from June 1 in Pocinho High Performance Centre in Portugal in preparation for the Olympic Games. The doubles scullers achieved Olympic qualification earlier this month in Tokyo. Their camp in Poland will value round Rs. 21 lakh.
(with company inputs)
