Mumbai Open: Shrivalli and Maaya Advance to Singles Quarters
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Synopsis
In an exciting start to the Mumbai Open, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Maaya Rajeshwaran advance to the singles quarters, showcasing remarkable performances. Shrivalli dominated her match, while Maaya triumphed due to her opponent's withdrawal, marking her first quarterfinal appearance in a senior tournament.
Key Takeaways
- Shrivalli Bhamidipaty won her match convincingly.
- Maaya Rajeshwaran progresses to the quarters after her opponent withdrew.
- Veteran Ankita Raina put up a strong fight but lost.
- Mananchaya Sawangkaew made a remarkable comeback.
- Mei Yamaguchi secured her place in the quarters as well.
Mumbai, Feb 6 (NationPress) Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and 15-year-old prodigy Maaya Rajeshwaran have successfully reached the singles quarterfinals at the Mumbai Open 2025 WTA 125 Series held at the Cricket Club of India.
Shrivalli showcased a commanding performance against Aleksandra Kruncic from Serbia, securing victory with scores of 6-4, 6-0. Meanwhile, Maaya benefited from a withdrawal by her opponent, Zarina Diyas, during the second set. Veteran Ankita Raina also fought valiantly but was eliminated in a tightly contested Round of 16 match.
Shrivalli demonstrated remarkable form, recovering from an early deficit in the match. After losing the first three games, she dominated by winning four consecutive games, eventually taking the first set 6-4.
With the momentum on her side, she was unstoppable in the second set, showcasing speed in covering the baseline and intelligently placing her shots. Shrivalli wrapped up the second set at 6-0, ensuring her place in the quarterfinals. She is also competing in the doubles draw alongside Riya Bhatia.
Following Shrivalli, it was Maaya who took to the center court, delivering impressive winners and keeping Diyas under pressure, ultimately claiming the first set 6-3. Although Diyas attempted a comeback in the second set, an illness led to her withdrawal with the score at 3-2 in favor of Maaya.
This victory marks Maaya's progression to the quarterfinals in her first senior tournament.
Earlier, Ankita faced a tough challenge against second seed Rebecca Marino, losing in a close match with scores of 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5). The first set was a back-and-forth battle, with both players exchanging breaks until Rebecca capitalized on crucial errors from Ankita to secure it 7-5.
Ankita bounced back to win the second set 6-2, leading to a decisive third set that kept the crowd engaged. Despite several deuce points in the ninth game, Ankita held strong, but a tie-breaker in the final set saw Rebecca clinch the win 7-5.
On another court, eighth-seeded Mananchaya Sawangkaew from Thailand made a stunning comeback to defeat Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. After dropping the first set, Sawangkaew regained her composure, delivering aggressive returns and consistent baseline play to dominate the final two sets.
Sawangkaew concluded the match with a decisive 6-0 victory in the final set.
In another match, Mei Yamaguchi from Japan triumphed over Simona Waltert of Switzerland in a thrilling three-set encounter, winning 7-6, 2-6, 6-4. Yamaguchi's strategic play and steadiness secured her a spot in the quarterfinals.
India also celebrated success in the doubles category, with the Indo-Dutch pair Prarthana Thombare and Arianne Hartono winning their match against Nao Hibino and Oksana Kalashnikova 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the semifinals.
The third-seeded duo of Eden Silva and Anastasia Tikhonova also secured their place in the semifinals by defeating the American pair of Jessie Aney and Jessica Failla in straight sets 7-5, 7-5.
