ITF women's tennis tournament: Sowjanya Bavisetti beats Saki Imamura in hard-fought contest

Sowjanya Bavisetti fought for three hours and a half to beat qualifier Saki Imamura of Japan 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 in the first round of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament.

FILE PHOTO: Bavisetti will be up against fifth Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia in the second round.

Sowjanya Bavisetti fought for three hours and a half to beat qualifier Saki Imamura of Japan 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 in the first round of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament at the Ganesh Naik Complex on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old left-hander, Sowjanya converted eight of 11 break points, and dropped serve four times. She will be up against fifth Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia in the second round.

Riya Bhatia was stretched to three sets by qualifier Sathwika Sama. She will face the second seed Nefisa Berberovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in pre-quarterfinals.

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Qualifier Humera Baharmus battled her way past Jennifer Luikham in three sets and will play Naho Sato of Japan.

Rutuja Bhosale went down in three sets to Zhibek Kulambayeva of Kazakhstan.

In another lively match, Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine knocked out the top seeded Anna Siskova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4. She will meet Zeel Desai in the pre-quarterfinals.

The results: Singles (first round) : Valeriya Strakhova (Ukr) bt Anna Siskova (Cze)6-4, 6-4; Sowjanya Bavisetti bt Saki Imamura (Jpn) 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4; Naho Sato (Jpn) bt Anna Danilina (Kaz) 6-4, 6-1; Humera Baharmus btJennifer Luikham 7-6(2), 1-6, 6-2; Moyuka Uchijima (Jpn) bt Nigina Abbduraimova (Uzb) 6-2, 6-4; Akiko Omae (Jpn) bt Akanksha Nitture 6-4, 6-2; Zhibek Kulambayeva (Kaz) bt Rutuja Bhosale 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Ekaterina Reyngold (Rus) bt Arthi Muniyan 6-0, 6-2; Chihiro Muramatsu (Jpn) bt Sai Samhitha 6-0, 6-2; Ekaterina Yashina (Russ) bt So-Ra Lee (Kor) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4; Riya Bhatia bt Sathwika Sama 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Vaidehi Chaudhari & Zeel Desai bt Sarah Pang (Sgp) & Arthi Muniyan 6-1, 6-2; Zhibek Kulambayeva (Kaz) & Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) bt Smriti Bhasin & Niditra Rajmohan 6-0, 6-0.