Taipei Open: Ankita Raina exits in first round

Sixth seed Nao Hibino defeated Ankita Raina 7-6 (6), 6-1 in the first round of the Taipei Open on Monday.

Ankita Raina had beaten Nao Hibino in their last meeting in the Fed Cup in Thailand in 2016.

Ankita Raina was beaten 7-6 (6), 6-1 by sixth seed Nao Hibino of Japan in the first round of the $125,000 WTA tennis tournament in Chinese Taipei on Monday.

The 192nd ranked Ankita recovered from a slow start when she was down 0-2 to surge ahead by breaking serve in the ninth game.

However, Ankita failed to serve out the set. The Japanese stepped it

up after getting ahead with an early break of serve in the second set,

when Ankita missed two game points in the fourth game with double

faults.

The 25-year-old Ankita had beaten the Japanese in their last meeting in the Fed Cup in Thailand in 2016, when she dropped only four games.

The results: $125,000 WTA, Chinese Taipei Singles (first round): Nao Hibino (Jpn) bt Ankita Raina 7-6(6), 6-1. Qualifying singles (second and final round): Zhang Yuxuan (Chn) bt Karman Kaur Thandi 6-2, 6-2.