<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Britain’s world no 181 Katie O’Brien has been given the top billing while Japan’s Kumiko Iijima, ranked 243, is seeded second.<br /><br />Ukraine’s in-form Anastasiya Vasylyeva, who emerged victorious in Mandya, is one of the strong contendors while Kumkhum too looks impressive.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><em>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.</em></p>
<p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Britain’s world no 181 Katie O’Brien has been given the top billing while Japan’s Kumiko Iijima, ranked 243, is seeded second.<br /><br />Ukraine’s in-form Anastasiya Vasylyeva, who emerged victorious in Mandya, is one of the strong contendors while Kumkhum too looks impressive.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><em>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.</em></p>
