A relaxed Ankita Raina on the eve of the L&T Mumbai Open
| Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan
It can be a giant alternative for Ankita Raina and Indian girls’s tennis to excel as the L&T Mumbai Open WTA tennis event returns to the monetary capital of the nation after a spot of six years.
Ankita fondly recalled the confidence she had gained by making the quarterfinals of the 2017 version at the CCI courts the place a precocious Arina Sabalenka received her maiden WTA title.
“It is great that we have the WTA event here again. I have been looking forward to this event. This tournament did a world of good to me. After the quarterfinal here in 2017, I made it to the Grand Slam qualifying events next year.
“Won the Asian Games medal, and thereafter played doubles in all Grand Slams. It was not just a boost to my ranking, but I also gained a lot mentally. It is a great chance for our girls to shine”, stated Ankita, as she thanked the organisers and the nationwide federation for conserving gamers occupied with a flurry of occasions.
National champion Shrivalli Bhamidipaty sustained her robust sport and stout method to beat Viktoria Morvayova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the second and ultimate qualifying spherical to make the principal draw that begins on Monday.
“I am proud the way I handled the match despite a brief lapse in focus in the second set. I started strong in the third set and played well, despite missing a few shots, to make it”, stated Shrivalli who will problem second seed Nao Hibino of Japan.
With her huge sport and the new discovered persistence, aside from the conviction in her means, Shrivalli is able to beating anybody in the subject.
The subject has a number of robust gamers together with the exciting Alina Korneeva. The 16-year-old was junior World No.1 final yr when she received the Australian Open and French Open titles aside from making the Wimbledon semifinals. She additionally received the World Junior Finals.
Korneeva has already received three girls’s titles, together with the $100,000 occasion in Portugal final yr as a qualifier the place she outclassed Carole Monnet of France 6-0, 6-0 in the ultimate. She certified and received a spherical in the Australian Open this yr, beating World No. 57 Sara Sorribes Torno of Spain.
For certain, it’ll be a energetic week of motion. Tournament Director Sunder Iyer stated that followers needed to obtain the event app to get their entry ticket for the occasion.
The seedings: 1. Kayla Day (USA), 2. Nao Hibino (Jpn), 3. Tamara Zidansek (Slo), 4. Arina Rodionova (Aus), 5. Laura Pigossi (Bra), 6. Darja Semenistaja (Lat), 7. Kimberly Birrell (Aus), 8. Katie Volynets (USA).
