Lucknow Women’s ITF Futures: Top-seed Ankita Raina sails into singles semifinals

Top-seed Ankita Raina of India cruised into the singles semifinals of the $10,000 Lucknow Women’s Futures tennis tournament being played at the Oudh Gymkhana Club Tennis Complex in Lucknow.

The 524th ranked Indian, who is enjoying a good run having clinched the Chennai Futures last week, quelled the challenge of compatriot Sai Samhitha Chamarthi 7-5, 6-2 to make it to the last-four stage.

The Gujarat girl, who is now based in Pune, was tested by Sai in the initial stages of the opening set before the former effected the much-needed break of serve to win it at 7-5.

The first set defeat took the sting out of Sai’s game. She not only struggled to hold her serve but committed a slew of unforced errors, which hastened Ankita’s victory path.

Earlier, Ankita, who finished runners-up in the two ITF Futures tourneys in Hyderabad last March, made a whirlwind beginning to her campaign in the Lucknow event, trouncing another fellow Indian Anushka Bhargava 6-0, 6-1 in the first round.

The talented Indian girl then made mincemeat of Preethi Ujjini 6-1, 6-0 to make it to the quarterfinals.

Ankit would now take on another country mate and fourth seed Shweta Rana in the first singles semifinals.

Shweta fought hard before showing the tournament exit door to Simran Kaur Sethi 7-5, 1-6, 6-1 in a quarterfinal match.

Shweta Rana earlier outlasted Smriti Joon 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

It may be mentioned here that Simran Kaur Sethi had upset seventh seed Australian Angelique Svinos in the first round.

Third seed Prarthana G. Thombare also made it to the singles semifinals, easing past sixth Indian Eetee Maheta 6-4 6-0.

Earlier in the quarterfinals, Prarthana sailed past Mahitha Dadi Reddy 6-4, 6-3.

Sixth seed Eetee Maheta prevailed over Damini Sharma 6-4, 6-4.

Prarthana next locks horns with eighth seeded Emi Mutaguchi of Japan.

Mutaguchi sprang a bit of an upset blanking second seed Nidhi Chilumula of India 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals.

Earlier, the Japanese girl pipped Bhuvana Kalva 6-0, 6-3 in the second round.

It may be worth recalling that Mutaguchi is the lone foreign player left in the fray. Only three foreign players made it to the main draw – Australia’s Angelique Svinos, who was seeded seventh in this event, bowed out in the first round.

China’s Wang XI-Yao also crashed out in the opening round, suffering a defeat at the hands of Sharon Sanchana Paul of India.

Earlier, the $10,000 ITF Futures women’s tennis tournament was dealt a big blow after around 80 foreign players pulled out.