New Delhi, April 9 (NationPress) Vaishnavi Adkar emphasized her increasing confidence following a closely contested match, asserting that expectations stem from her capabilities and expressing her belief in her potential to win after India's defeat against Indonesia on Day 3 of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie, which included a challenging three-set loss to Priska Madelyn Nugroho.

Adkar delivered a commendable performance but ultimately fell short in a lengthy three-set duel against Nugroho, resulting in India conceding a 0-2 lead to Indonesia in their third encounter of the tournament on Thursday.

Competing at the DLTA Stadium, the 21-year-old Indian, currently ranked 391, lost with scores of 7-6(3), 6-7(3), 3-6 in a match that extended over three hours. Despite the loss, Adkar's display was characterized by perseverance, strategic variation, and an unyielding fighting spirit.

Reflecting on her match, Adkar remarked, “Today’s match was quite tough and lengthy. While it didn’t end in our favor, I found it disappointing not to secure the win. The key was to keep fighting until the last point, and I feel I put up a strong fight, even if the outcome wasn’t in my favor. I am proud of my efforts, but it’s still disappointing.”

The match featured significant swings in momentum, with Adkar clinching the first set in a tie-break after saving a set point. However, critical missed opportunities at pivotal moments proved to be detrimental.

On addressing these mistakes, she admitted, “There were many ups and downs during the match, and I felt there were points where I could have been more consistent, but I wasn’t. I made some errors, but I managed to recover. I think she just played more consistently, and today she was the stronger player.”

The intensity of the second set mirrored that of the first. Adkar bounced back from an early setback and even served for the match at 5-4, but Nugroho elevated her performance in the tie-break, forcing a third set. The Indonesian player then capitalized on crucial breaks in the final set to secure the victory.

Having come into the tie with a notable win over Aishi Das from New Zealand the previous day, Adkar dismissed any notion of pressure influencing her game.

“Expectations exist because capability is present. So honestly, I don’t consider it as pressure; rather, it enhances my confidence further since I know people believe in me, and I believe in myself too. It didn’t go my way, but I faced a formidable opponent. I was aware that I wouldn’t receive many free points, and she fought valiantly, making it a tough loss.”

A key moment arose when Nugroho took a lengthy medical timeout during the second set, momentarily disrupting the match's flow. Adkar recognized its effect and shared how she attempted to adjust.

“I utilized that time to recuperate as well, since the first set was quite lengthy. I used that extra time to reset and get back into the game, and I think I performed well in the next game, but I couldn’t sustain it. It did disrupt my momentum and cost me some points at times when I could have been more solid. However, these matches are essential for learning, and every loss teaches us something valuable.”

She further stressed the challenges of competing at elevated levels, stating, “When you participate in higher-level tournaments against tough opponents, you cannot expect free points; you have to earn every point, and every aspect of your game must be robust.”

Despite the disappointment, the young athlete viewed the loss as a significant learning opportunity.

“Losses like this provide greater lessons than easy victories. They expose weaknesses and offer insights into areas I need to improve, as straightforward wins don’t highlight what I need to work on. Losses serve as valuable lessons for me to understand what requires my attention.”