Pune: Russia’s Yashina Ekaterina, the No 2 ranked player in the qualifying draw wasted little time in outplaying the Jennifer Luikham, the lone Indian left in the draw, 6-3, 6-2, and made it to the main draw of the 19th NECC Deccan ITF $25000 Women’s tennis tournament being played at the Deccan Gymkhana courts.
The loss of Luikham meant there would be just four Indians in the main draw—Sharannya Gaware, Snehal Mane, Niditra Rajmohan and Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty—all in there by virtue of getting wildcards awarded to them.
In a all-Thai contest Punnin Kovapitukted struggled to beat Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 12-10; Japan’s Sato Naho edged past Stefi Carruthers of Samoa 1-6, 6-3, 10-4 and Russia’s Olga Doroshina saved a match point to get past Valda Katic of Israel 5-7, 6-2, 11-9.
Also making it to the main draw was Italy’s Corinna Dentoni, who beat Britain’s Freya Christei 4-6, 6-2, 10-8.
Results:
Final qualifying round: Yashina Ekaterina (Rus) bt Jennifer Luikham (Ind) 6-3, 6-2; Emma Raducanu (Gbr) bt Jia-Qi Kang (Chn) 6-4, 6-1; Alicia Smith (Aus) bt Ni Ma Zhuoma (Chn) 6-4, 6-2; Punnin Kovapitukted (Tha) bt Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Tha) 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 12-10; Sato Naho (Jpn) bt Stefi Carruthers (Sam) 1-6, 6-3, 10-4; Olga Doroshina (Rus) bt Valda Katic (Isr) 5-7, 6-2, 11-9; Corinna Dentoni (Ita) bt Freya Christei (Gbr) 4-6, 6-2, 10-8; Evgeniya Burdina (Rus) bt Nefisa Berberovic (Bih) 6-4, 6-1.
