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Indian tennis players Ankita Raina and Zeel Desai successfully moved to the second round of the ITF W35 event in Kalaburagi on Wednesday, showcasing impressive performances. Meanwhile, Karnataka's Soha Sadiq started strong but faced a setback, exiting the tournament after a dramatic turn of events at the Chandrashekhar Patil Stadium.

Raina's Steady Performance

Eighth seed Ankita Raina delivered a solid performance, defeating fellow Indian Sonal Patil with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Although Patil held serve initially, Raina quickly took charge, winning six consecutive games to clinch the first set. The second set mirrored this trend, with Raina establishing a 3-0 lead. Patil fought back, holding serve twice to narrow the gap, but Raina maintained her composure and finished the match decisively.

Desai's Strong Showing

Fifth seed Zeel Desai also advanced, overcoming Jennifer Luikham in straight sets. Desai dominated the first set 6-2 and continued her strong play in the second, mixing powerful groundstrokes with clever drop shots to secure her victory.

Mixed Results for Other Competitors

Earlier, Soha Sadiq thrilled the local audience with a quick start against Singapore's Eva Marie Desvignes, racing to a 4-0 lead. However, Desvignes made a remarkable comeback, winning the match 7-5, 6-0, thus ending Sadiq's run. Additionally, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty had to retire from her match against Elena Burdina due to health issues.

Key Match Outcomes

Top seed Jasmijn Gimbrere advanced easily with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Aishwarya Jadhav, while sixth seed Thasaporn Naklo also progressed with a 6-3, 6-2 win against Valeria Savinykh. Other notable results included Polina Kuharenko defeating Akanksha Dileep Nitture 6-2, 6-1, and Anna Sedyasheva overcoming Sandeepthi Singh Rao 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles Round-Up

In the doubles competition, India's Sravya Shivani Chilakalapudi teamed up with Japan's Michika Ozeki to secure a convincing 6-2, 6-3 win against Maayan Laron and Maria Mikhailova, advancing to the quarterfinals. Third seeds Zeel Desai and Elina Nepliy also moved forward with a solid 6-3, 6-4 victory over Anna Sedyasheva and Sofia Suslova.

Upcoming Matches

With two more Indian players joining Vaishnavi Adkar in the second round, the competition at the ITF W35 Kalaburagi is heating up.

Match Results Singles First Round

8-Ankita Raina (IND) bt Sonal Patil (IND) 6-1, 6-3; 5-Zeel Desai (IND) bt Jennifer Luikham (IND) 6-2, 6-4; 1-Jasmijn Gimbrere (NED) bt Aishwarya Jadhav (IND) 6-2, 6-1; 6-Thasaporn Naklo (THA) bt Valeria Savinykh 6-3, 6-2; Polina Kuharenko bt Akanksha Dileep Nitture (IND) 6-2, 6-1; Anna Sedyasheva bt Sandeepthi Singh Rao (IND) 6-2, 6-4; Eva Marie Desvignes (SGP) bt Soha Sadiq (IND) 7-5, 6-0; Elina Nepliy bt Kashish Bhatia (IND) 6-0, 6-4; Evgeniya Burdina bt 4-Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty (IND) 5-1 (ret.)

Doubles First Round

Sravya Shivani Chilakalapudi (IND) / Michika Ozeki (JPN) bt Maayan Laron (ISR) / Maria Mikhailova 6-2, 6-3; 3-Zeel Desai (IND) / Elina Nepliy bt Anna Sedyasheva / Sofia Suslova 6-3, 6-4.