<p>Nidhi Chil-mula and Rishika Sunkara kept India’s challenge alive in the USD 10,000 CCI-ITF women’s tennis circuit here on Tuesday, even as six others were knocked out in first-round action.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Nidhi dropped the first set, but came back strongly in the next two to put it across qualifier Seda Arantekin of Turkey 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, while Rishika ousted compatriot Adnya Naik in straight sets in another opening-round clash at the Cricket Club of India’s courts.<br /><br />The first-round losers’ list from the home country included Fed Cup player Prerna Bhambri, Kyra Shroff, Ashvarya Shrivastava, veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi and wild card entrant Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy.<br /><br />Barring Kyra, who gave a scare to top seed Keren Shlomo before losing in three sets, the others hardly gave any challenge to their rivals.<br /><br />Top seed Keren, ranked 396th in the world, survived a tough opening round clash against Kyra before notching a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 win.<br /><br />The singles second seed and winner of the Aurangabad leg of the circuit last week, Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic quit her match against unseeded Serb rival Tamara Curovic when trailing 0-3 in the opening set as she was not feeling well.<br /><br />Results: Singles (1st round): Nidhi Chilumula (Ind) bt Seda Arantekin (Tur) 2-6 6-2 6-2; 5-Peangtarn Plipuech (Tha) bt Michaela Frlicka (Ger) 6-4 6-3; 7-Jovana Jaksic (Srb) bt Rushmi Chakravarthi (Ind) 6-2 6-2; 1-Keren Shlomo (Isr) bt Kyra Shroff (Ind) 2-6 6-2 6-1; 4-Melis Sezer (Tur) bt Jeannine Prentner (Aut) 6-4 1-6 6-2; Varunya Wongteanchai (Tha) bt Prerna Bhambri (Ind) 6-1 6-1; 8-Nicole Clerico (Ita) bt Verena Schmid (Ger) 7-5 5-7 6-4; Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) bt Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy (Ind) 6-4 6-1. 3-Agnese Zucchini (Ita) bt Barbara Luz (Por) 6-3 6-2; Stephanie Scimone (Ita) bt Karoline Kurz (Aut) 0-6 6-2 6-4; Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Anja Prislan (Slo) 6-3 6-4; Tamara Curovic (Srb) bt 2-Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) 3-0 (retd.).</p>
<p>Nidhi Chil-mula and Rishika Sunkara kept India’s challenge alive in the USD 10,000 CCI-ITF women’s tennis circuit here on Tuesday, even as six others were knocked out in first-round action.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Nidhi dropped the first set, but came back strongly in the next two to put it across qualifier Seda Arantekin of Turkey 2-6, 6-2, 6-2, while Rishika ousted compatriot Adnya Naik in straight sets in another opening-round clash at the Cricket Club of India’s courts.<br /><br />The first-round losers’ list from the home country included Fed Cup player Prerna Bhambri, Kyra Shroff, Ashvarya Shrivastava, veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi and wild card entrant Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy.<br /><br />Barring Kyra, who gave a scare to top seed Keren Shlomo before losing in three sets, the others hardly gave any challenge to their rivals.<br /><br />Top seed Keren, ranked 396th in the world, survived a tough opening round clash against Kyra before notching a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 win.<br /><br />The singles second seed and winner of the Aurangabad leg of the circuit last week, Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic quit her match against unseeded Serb rival Tamara Curovic when trailing 0-3 in the opening set as she was not feeling well.<br /><br />Results: Singles (1st round): Nidhi Chilumula (Ind) bt Seda Arantekin (Tur) 2-6 6-2 6-2; 5-Peangtarn Plipuech (Tha) bt Michaela Frlicka (Ger) 6-4 6-3; 7-Jovana Jaksic (Srb) bt Rushmi Chakravarthi (Ind) 6-2 6-2; 1-Keren Shlomo (Isr) bt Kyra Shroff (Ind) 2-6 6-2 6-1; 4-Melis Sezer (Tur) bt Jeannine Prentner (Aut) 6-4 1-6 6-2; Varunya Wongteanchai (Tha) bt Prerna Bhambri (Ind) 6-1 6-1; 8-Nicole Clerico (Ita) bt Verena Schmid (Ger) 7-5 5-7 6-4; Nungnadda Wannasuk (Tha) bt Sri Vaishnavi Peddi Reddy (Ind) 6-4 6-1. 3-Agnese Zucchini (Ita) bt Barbara Luz (Por) 6-3 6-2; Stephanie Scimone (Ita) bt Karoline Kurz (Aut) 0-6 6-2 6-4; Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Anja Prislan (Slo) 6-3 6-4; Tamara Curovic (Srb) bt 2-Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) 3-0 (retd.).</p>