Ankita Raina thread

[PKBasu]

Arantxa Rus is a former junior AO singles champion, and once beat #2 Clijsters to make R3 of the French Open (2011), and made R4 there the next year. She also made R3 at Wimbledon in 2012, beating then-#5 Samantha Stosur along the way.

Today, you could see that she has the game to play regularly on the WTA tour, with a strong first serve (but admittedly weak second), and powerful groundies on both flanks. She fought hard to hold her serve toward the end of the second set, taking the final game (at 1-5) to many deuces and saving a couple of match-points before holding. But Ankita was serving impeccably (albeit with less power than her opponent on the first serve, and a better second serve), which enabled her to hold serve with immaculate ease. Very impressive match!

[PKBasu]

Next week I won’t be able to attend the later stages, as I’ll be at the Jaipur Litfest. But what is good to see is that Ankita has a good support system in Singapore. She eats all meals at the home of a tennis playing couple, and had about 10 friends in the audience (none of whom joined me — across the stadium — in cheering her on!).

[knarayen]

Great to see Ankita win this. I hope she continues her great run through the next few weeks!!

Prof

[sameerph]

Wow,what a week for Ankita. 75 20 against #142 Sharipova, 64 61 against #150 Perin and now 63 62 against #122 Rus in the QF to final.

Her fourth 25K title but I think in terms of quality of opposition her best week on pro tour. It is apt that this takes her to a new career high. She does not have too many points to defend till 25th March when she has Gwalior 25K points to defend. So, if she performs well in next couple of months, she can go to top 150. Heck, she can do it next week if she can go up and get another title.

[PKBasu]

I forgot to mention that she also has a physio with her this week and next. I spoke to the physio, who said she travels with her only intermittently. But Ankita looks Super-fit, and she makes up for her height deficiency (about 5’ 6”, a couple of inches shorter than Sania) with her speed around the court, depth and power in her returns and ground-strokes, and never-say-die attitude.

[arjun2761]

Awesome win by Ankita!! She has definitely stepped up her level and should get close to top 100 if she continues to play hard and improve...

[sameerph]

I forgot to mention that she also has a physio with her this week and next. I spoke to the physio, who said she travels with her only intermittently. But Ankita looks Super-fit, and she makes up for her height deficiency (about 5’ 6”, a couple of inches shorter than Sania) with her speed around the court, depth and power in her returns and ground-strokes, and never-say-die attitude.

Thanks,PKB for your first hand account. Does she also have her coach travelling with her for these tournaments ?

[PKBasu]

No, she doesn't have her coach travelling with her. Hemant Bendre has been her coach for the past 10 years, but he doesn't travel with her.

[jayakris]

Ankita!!!

[bujilover]

Will this top-170 rank be enough for her to enter the IW and Miami Qualifying?

[jaydeep]

Jaydeep, I couldn’t figure out how to post photos here. Please copy and paste the photo of her with the “trophy” from my FB page if you can...

Done.

[Atithee]

After a long time for Indian tennis, this girl seems like a real deal. I hope she gets to enjoy her stay in top echelons for a long time.

[Varma]

We Indians are not world beaters yet in most sports. Whenever we have Olympics, World Championship, and Asian games, I only expect our athletes to match or best their personal record. More often than not most of them fail to do so. It doesn't matter where Ankita's ranking stands, this girl time and time again demonstrates that she has that will and hunger to punch above her weight. I love her for that and wish she makes to Indian Wells qualies this year. Can't wait to see her play in person!

- Varma

[sameerph]

Will this top-170 rank be enough for her to enter the IW and Miami Qualifying?

Last year's cut-off was 137 for Indian Wells qualifying and 150 for Miami qualies. So, Ankita will have to raise her rank inside 150 to have a chance to play those events, it seems.

[PKBasu]

Last week's top-3 seeds (all beaten by Ankita!) are missing from the draw this week. But they have been replaced by a bunch of strong players, with the top seed a 21 year old former world #1 junior Ivana Jorovic (SRB, 117). Second seed is Lin Zhu (CHN, 118).

Ankita (who was unseeded last week) is seeded 6th this week (although still carrying an official ranking of 203). She is drawn to meet 3-Richel Hogenkamp (NED, 168) in the QF and the top seed in the SF this week. Hogenkamp beat Arantxa Rus (last week's top seed and losing finalist) in Q1 at the AO, but lost in Q3.

Q1 was played today, but Ankita's R1 match is tomorrow morning at 11 on Centre Court against former world #60 Cagla Buyucagcay (TUR, 268). In 2016, she ended the year ranked 78, after winning a WTA tournament in Istanbul, following which she made R2 at the FO, and earlier in the year winning a $75K in Dubai. Basically seems to be a clay-courter. A tough R1 opponent, but one Ankita should beat.