Ankita Raina rose to the occasion to keep India’s hopes alive, beating Aldila Sutjiadi 6-3, 6-3 to put India on par (1-1) against Indonesia in the last league match of the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania group-1 women’s tennis tournament on Saturday.
Rutuja Bhosale, who had won her last three singles matches, went down in three sets to the 16-year-old Priska Madelyn Nugroho, who does not have a WTA ranking but has the rich experience of having won the Australian Open junior doubles title.
It was a revenge of sorts for Ankita as she and Rohan Bopanna had been beaten by Aldila and Christopher Rungkat in the mixed doubles quarterfinals of the Asian Games. The Indonesian pair had gone on to win the gold. After Rutuja lost to the talented 16-year-old who is ranked No. 15 among the juniors, Ankita helped India pull level.
On Friday, Ankita partnered Sania Mirza to clinch the decisive doubles 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 against the Taipei pair of Latisha Chan, a former World No.1 doubles player like Sania, and En Shuo Liang.
The results (league):
India 1 Indonesia 1 (Rutuja Bhosale lost to Priska Madelyn Nugroho 3-6, 6-0, 3-6; Ankita Raina bt Aldila Sutjiadi 6-3, 6-3).
India bt Chinese Taipei 2-1 (Rutuja Bhosale bt Ya Yi Yang 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6); Ankita Raina lost to En Shuo Liang 6-3, 2-6, 3-6; Sania Mirza & Ankita Raina bt Latisha Chan & En Shuo Liang 6-4, 4-6, 6-4).
