WTA Mumbai Open 2024: Shrivalli, Rutuja storm into pre-quarterfinals; Ankita Raina loses out

Ankita Raina played well but was unable to make progress as she was up against the young and energetic eighth seed Katie Volynets of the United States.

File Photo: Rutuja had earlier in the day overcome a sedate start and a crafty Peangtarn Plipuech by sticking to her game plan and stroking her way through in fine execution. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji / The Hindu.

Indian women’s tennis took a quantum leap as qualifier Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and wild card entrant Rutuja Bhosale joined Sahaja Yamalapalli into the pre-quarterfinals of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA tennis tournament at the CCI courts here on Tuesday.

Shrivalli bounced back from a slow start to beat the second seed Nao Hibino of Japan in the third set tie-break. She was able to step up her game and closed it out against the tough Japanese, ranked in the top-100.

With the confidence of having already negotiated two matches in the qualifying round, Shrivalli handled the ebb and flow of the match with equanimity, unleashing her strong strokes at every opportunity. At 6-4 in the tie-break, Shrivalli perhaps felt the nerves and delivered a double fault. The Japanese hit long on the next point to make the exit.

Shrivalli will get the chance to gauge her game against the 16-year-old sensation Alina Korneeva who has already won three titles in the women’s circuit.

Rutuja had earlier in the day overcome a sedate start and a crafty Peangtarn Plipuech by sticking to her game plan and stroking her way through in fine execution.

Ankita Raina played well but was unable to make progress as she was up against the young and energetic eighth seed Katie Volynets of USA. There was more for the home fans, as Prarthana Thombare combined with Arianne Hartone of the Netherlands to beat the Thais, Luksika Kumkhum and Peangtarn Plipuech 10-6 in the super tie-break of the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

It may be remembered that Kumkhum had won the singles at the same venue last time when the event was held in 2018.

Sahaja Yamalapalli who had beaten the top seed Kayla Day on Monday, will play the champion of the last tournament in Indore, Polina Kudermetova.

The superb performance of three Indians making it to the pre-quarterfinals can be put in perspective by the fact that none of the Indian players crossed the first round in the $40,000 ITF event in Indore last week.

The results:

Singles (first round): Polina Kudermetova bt Anastasia Zakharova 7-6(8), 6-0; Amandine Hesse (Fra) bt Lina Glushko (Isr) 6-1, 6-1; Arina Rodionova (Aus) bt Suzan Lamens (Ned) 6-2, 7-5; Moyuka Uchijima (Jpn) bt Carole Monnet (Fra) 6-3, 6-3; Dalma Galfi (Hun) bt Kimberly Birrell (Aus) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5; Katie Volynets (USA) bt Ankita Raina 6-4, 6-2; Rutuja Bhosale bt Peangtarn Plipuech (Tha) 6-4, 7-5; Camilla Rosatello (Ita) bt Anastasia Tikhonova 7-5, 3-6, 6-2; Storm Hunter (Aus) bt Fanny Stollar 3-0 (retired); Shrivalli Bhamidipaty bt Nao Hibino (Jpn) 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(5).

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Valentini Grammatikopoulou (Gre) & Darja Semenistaja (Lat) bt Polina Kudermetova & Suzan Lamens (Ned) 7-6(7), 6-4; Arianne Hartono (Ned) & Prarthana Thombare bt Luksika Kumkhum & Peangtarn Plipuech (Tha) 6-4, 2-6, [10-6]; Anastasia Tikhonova & Moyuka Uchijima (Jpn) bt Julia Lohoff (Ger) & Conny Perrin (Sui) 6-4, 7-5.