Ajit Karn
Billie Jean King Cup 2023:Wednesday in Tashkent, Ankita Raina led India to a 3-0 victory over hosts Uzbekistan in their second match of the Asia/Oceania Group I of the Billie Jean King Cup 2023.
This victory has propelled India to the summit of Group 1 alongside Japan with three matches remaining.
India defeated Thailand 2-1 on Tuesday, with Ankita’s singles and doubles performances standing out.
India will take on China on Thursday, followed by matches against South Korea and Japan.
In the inaugural match against Uzbekistan, Rutuja Bhosale represented the Indian side. She faced 16-year-old Sabrina Olimjanova, whom she defeated 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 on an outdoor hard court despite falling behind a set.
In the second match, Ankita, India’s top-ranked female tennis player according to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, defeated world number 991 Sevil Yuldasheva 6-4, 6-2. Sevil was Uzbekistan’s highest-ranked competitor for this match, as Nigina Abduraimova, ranked 186th, was absent.
Before the eighth game of the first set, both competitors had broken the serves of their respective opponents twice, bringing the score to 4-4. Ankita broke serve for the third time in the ninth game and grabbed a 1-0 lead despite wasting six of nine breakpoint opportunities in the opening set.
After taking a 4-0 lead in the second set, the Indian never looked back and closed out the match in 1 hour and 19 minutes.
In the doubles match, the youthful Indian duo of Sahaja Yamlapalli and Vaidehi Chaudhari helped India sweep their opponents by defeating Ominahon Valihanova and Maftunabonu Kahramonova, 6-1, 6-0.
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The top two teams in Group I will advance to the semifinals of the Billie Jean King Cup, while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will be relegated to Group II. The third and fourth-placed teams in Group I will maintain their positions.
