Mumbai: The country's top ranked tennis player Ankita Raina beat compatriot Sharmada Balu to enter the singles second round of the USD 25,000 Ganesh Naik ITF Women's Tennis Championships today.
However, another Indian Prarthana Thombare crashed out of the tournament after losing in straight sets to lower ranked Thai rival Nungnadda Wannasuk at the Ganesh Naik Tennis Complex in Navi Mumbai.
Fifth seed Ankita, who is being supported by the Sports Authority of Gujarat and currently ranked 298 in the world, took two hours and 45 minutes to record a 6-2 1-6 6-4 win over qualifier Sharmada, ranked a lowly 821.
Ankita, who won three USD 10,000 events this year, will take on Peangtarn Plipuech of Thailand in the second round.
Experienced Thai Wannasuk, ranked 441, played solid baseline game to end the hopes of young Prarthana Thombare, ranked 386, 6-4 6-2 in another first round encounter lasting an hour and 28 minutes.
Sixth seed Jade Windley of Britain, ranked 310, survived a scare before registering a close 6-3 1-6 7-6(2) win over top 50 ranked junior Kamonwan Buayam of Thailand in two hours and 15 minutes.
Windley led 5-2 in the deciding set before the 17-year-old Thai Girl levelled the score and even led 6-5 before the British player levelled again to force a tiebreak that she won 7-2.
32-year-old Rika Fujiwara of Japan showed her class while disposing off 19-year-old higher-ranked opponent So-Ra Lee of Korea 6-0 6-0 in less than a hour to make it to the round of 16.
