Kalaburagi, March 2 (NationPress) The singles main draw of the ITF W35 Kalaburagi is set to feature a substantial Indian representation, as five local players successfully advanced through the qualifying rounds. This exciting tournament, boasting a prize pool of USD 30,000, was primed for competition following a draw ceremony held on Monday.

The draw ceremony showcased the vibrant domestic tennis scene and was attended by notable figures including Fouzia Taranum, Deputy Commissioner & District Magistrate of Kalaburagi; Bhanwar Singh Meena, CEO of Zilla Panchayat, Kalaburagi; and Shinde Avinash Sanjeevan, Commissioner of Kalaburagi City Corporation.

Fans can look forward to thrilling opening matches in the singles main draw, featuring third seed Vaishnavi Adkar taking on Chevika Reddy Sama. In the upper bracket, fifth seed Zeel Desai will compete against a qualifier, while in an all-Indian first-round clash, eighth seed Ankita Raina faces Sonal Patil, sparking significant local excitement.

Additionally, fourth seed Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty is set to challenge Evgeniya Burdina, and second seed Anchisa Chanta will start her tournament against Britain's Allegra Korpanec Davies. The draw, featuring a mix of Indian seeds alongside seasoned international players, promises a week of intense competition.

In the doubles main draw, top seeds Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty and Jasmijn Gimbrere will go head-to-head with the Thai duo of Anchisa Chanta and Thasaporn Naklo in their opening match, setting the stage for an exhilarating start.

Three Indian pairs—Singdha Kanta and Harshini N Nagaraj, Kashish Bhatia and Vanshita Pathania, and Sreemanya Reddy Anugonda and Sai Samhitha Chamarthi—were granted wildcard entries, allowing emerging domestic talents to gain valuable ITF experience. The draw also includes a blend of formidable international teams and local duos, hinting at high-stakes doubles matches throughout the week.

The qualifying rounds concluded earlier on Monday, with several Indian players competing intensely for the last eight spots in the main draw.

In one of the most thrilling matches, Arunkumar Lakshmi Prabha triumphed over Maria Mikhailova with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 10-6 in a nail-biting tie-break. In another match, second seed Eva Marie Desvignes from Singapore defeated Aahan Aahan in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1.

Third seed Valeria Savinykh bested Saumya Ronde with scores of 6-4, 6-1. In an all-Indian contest, Kashish Bhatia claimed victory over Mahika Khanna with a score of 7-6(4), 6-0, showcasing her resilience in a tough first set before dominating the second.

Aishwarya Jadhav secured a decisive win against 16th seed Sreemanya Reddy Anugonda, finishing with 6-3, 6-3. Meanwhile, ninth seed Sandeepthi Singh Rao maintained composure to defeat Karnataka's Snigdha Kanta 6-4, 6-3.

In other notable matches, 14th seed Laxmisiri Dandu edged out eighth seed Bela Tamhankar with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 14-12 in a gripping match tie-break. Additionally, seventh seed Anna Sedysheva overcame tenth seed Yashaswini Panwar with a score of 6-4, 6-2.

With the main draw now officially unveiled, the W35 Kalaburagi is poised for a week of top-notch women’s tennis.

Results:

Qualifying Round 2:

Arunkumar Lakshmi Prabha (IND) bt 1-Maria Mikhailova 6-2, 3-6, 10-6; 2-Eva Marie Desvignes (SGP) bt Aahan Aahan (IND) 6-0, 6-1; 3-Valeria Savinykh bt Saumya Ronde (IND) 6-4, 6-1; Kashish Bhatia (IND) bt 13-Mahika Khanna (IND) 7-6(4), 6-0; Aishwarya Jadhav (IND) bt 16-Sreemanya Reddy Anugonda (IND) 6-3, 6-3; 9-Sandeepthi Singh Rao (IND) bt Snigdha Kanta (IND) 6-4, 6-3; 14-Laxmisiri Dandu (IND) bt 8-Bela Tamhankar (IND) 7-5, 3-6, 14-12; 7-Anna Sedysheva bt 10-Yashaswini Panwar (IND) 6-4, 6-2