ITF meet from today

Just last week in the inaugural Mandya Open, the world no 572 enjoyed a fairly decent outing in reaching the semifinals before falling to eventual runner-up Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand.

With this event just the second ITF event held in India for women this year and one more to follow in Pune a week later, the Poojashree will be keen to cash in on the limited opportunities. India’s Sharmada Balu, who shocked 457-ranked Ayumi Oka last week, has been awarded a wild card along with compatriots Ankita Raina, Rushmi Chakravarthi and Shivika Burman.

Britain’s world no 181 Katie O’Brien has been given the top billing while Japan’s Kumiko Iijima, ranked 243, is seeded second.

Ukraine’s in-form Anastasiya Vasylyeva, who emerged victorious in Mandya, is one of the strong contendors while Kumkhum too looks impressive.

Meanwhile, in Sunday’s qualifiers, Kyra Shroff scored an easy 6-2, 6-2 win over Zainab Ali Sajjad to seal her place in the main draw. Apart from 20 direct entrants, the main draw also includes eight qualifiers and four wild cards.

Results, final qualifying round: 5-Anna Rapoport (Rus) bt Smriti Joon (Ind) 6-2, 6-3; 8-Anna Shkudun (Ukr) bt 12-Sheethal Goutham 7-5, 6-1; 4-Nicha Lertpitakinchai (Tha) bt Rishika Sunkara (Ind) 6-0, 6-1; 2-Yi Chen (Tpe) bt Sharon Sanchana Paul (Ind) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Kyra Shroff (Ind) bt Zainab Ali Sajjad (Ind) 6-2, 6-2; 6-Julia Parasyuk (Rus) bt 11-Prerna Bhambri (Ind) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3); Ashvarya Shrivastava (Ind) bt 1-Mari Inoue (Jpn) 6-2, 6-3; 3-Peangthan Pliphuech (Tha) bt Preethi Srinivasan (Ind) 6-1, 6-0.