Ankita Raina wins first high stage match in Prague

That is Raina’s first WTA 250 singles win since her victory in opposition to Maddison Inglis in Seoul Open final 12 months.

By:
Pramod Thomas

INDIA’s Ankita Raina made essentially the most of her fortunate loser place to achieve the final 16 of the Prague Open on Wednesday (2), securing her first win on the principle WTA Tour in 2023.

The 30-year-old, who had been defeated in qualifying earlier than successful a reprieve in the principle draw, beat house hope Barbora Strycova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Raina, ranked a lowly 196, will face Czech teenager Linda Noskova for a spot within the quarter-finals.

Strycova, 37, is taking part in her closing 12 months on the tour and arrived in Prague on the again of securing the Wimbledon girls’s doubles title alongside Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei final month.

Raina entered the Prague Open by qualifiers. She gained the opening spherical of the qualifiers by beating Czech Republic’s Amelie Smejcalova in straight units (6-3, 6-2) however misplaced within the following spherical by receiving two bagels in opposition to fifth seed Dayana Yastremska (0-6, 0-6). Nevertheless, with Russian and Belarusian gamers not allowed to take part, Ankita superior to the principle draw as a fortunate loser.

Lately, Ankita’s efficiency has been spectacular, reaching the semi-finals of the WTA 250 Poland Open in doubles and coming into the principle draw by qualifiers in singles. On account of her current success, her WTA singles and doubles rankings have improved, at the moment putting her at 177th within the stay rankings. With a number of extra wins, she might probably safe a greater place within the US Open qualifiers, in keeping with reviews.

Raina was born in Gujarat to Kashmiri Pandit mother and father Lalita Raina and Ravinder Kishen Raina. She spent her formative years in Ahmedabad earlier than relocating to Pune on the age of 14.

(With inputs from AFP)