India’s top woman tennis player Ankita Raina secured a comfortable 6-2 6-2 victory over Fatma Al-Nabhani of Oman today to enter the second round of the QNET Open USD 50,000 ITF Women’s Circuit tournament at the DLTA Complex here.
The 21-year-old from Ahmedabad dominated from the start and gave Fatma no chance of even putting up a fight.
The Indian will meet third-seeded Russian Marina Melnikova in the second round.
Former world Junior No.1 Ivana Jorovic of Serbia stunned fourth-seeded Tadeja Majeric of Slovenia 7-5 6-0.
Majeric lost her cool at the end of the first set and showed little will to battle it out against the 17-year-old Serbian after a high-strung first set.
Austria’s Barbara Haas turned her first round match on its head as she fought back from being blanked in the opening set to defeating eighth seeded Sofiya Kovalets of Ukraine 0-6 7-6 (6) 7-5.
Greek teenager Maria Sakkari posted a dominating 6-1 6-3 victory over Natasha Palha.
Sakkari’s four USD 10,000 ITF singles titles this year, have seen her leapfrog from 610 to 298 on the WTA Singles rankings. She also has won four doubles crowns on the ITF Circuit this year.
The other three Indians — Prarthana G Thombare, wild card entrant Bhuvana Kalva and Vaniya Dangwal — who figured in the matches today bowed out after straight-set defeats.
Results (all Indians unless specified): (1) Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (Austria) b Emily Webley-Smith (Britain) 6-2 6-3; Barbara Haas (Austria) b (8) Sofiya Kovalets (Ukraine) 0-6 7-6 (6) 7-5; (3) Marina Melinkova (Russia) b q Wang Xi-Yao (China) 4-6 6-3 6-3; Ankita Raina b Fatna al-Nabhani (Oman) 6-2 6-2; Maria Sakkari (Greece) b wc Natasha Palha 6-1 6-3; (7) Elise Mertens (Belgium) b q Kamonwam Buayam (Thailand) 6-0 6-1; Nicha Lertpitaksinchai (Thailand) b ll Vaniya Dangwal 6-1 6-1; Tara Moore (Britain) b Hsu Ching Wen (Chinese Taipei) 6-3 6-3; Ivana Jorovic (Serbia) b (4) Tadeja Majeric (Slovenia) 7-5 6-0; (6) Sabina Sharipova (Uzbekistan) b Prarthana G Thombare 6-2 6-1; (2) Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukraine) b wc Bhuvana Kalva 6-3 7-6 (5).