Billie Jean King Cup: Japan beats India 3-0

Japan inflicts a 3-0 defeat on India in the opening league match of the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup.

FILE PHOTO: Ankita Raina lost to Mai Hontama 6-4, 6-4.

Japan beat India 3-0 in the opening league match of the Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup women’s tennis tournament in Antalya, Turkey, on Tuesday.

Ankita Raina did play a better match than the other Indians who played, but captain Vishaal Uppal pointed out that the team struggled with a strong wind and cold conditions. With Sania Mirza unable to join the team owing to injury worries, after the Charleston WTA event in the U.S., the team was reduced to four players.

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Riya Bhatia and Sowjanya Bavisetti played the doubles without much success against Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara.

Six teams, with China, South Korea, New Zealand and Indonesia being the other four, will compete on a round robin league, with the top two qualifying for the playoff.

The bottom two teams will get relegated to group-II in the Asia-Oceania zone.