After losing to China and Japan, India notched up Three victories secure Third position in Group I
Source | Sunder Iyer
India Women tennis team playing at the Group I at the Billie Jean King Cup in 2
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China came with the strong squad despite Shuai Zhang {WTA41} not making it to the team. They still had three players ranked below WTA110 in Qinwen Zheng{WTA71} ,Qiang Wang {WTA97} and lin Zhu {WTA106}. Japan were missing Naomi Saka {WTA35} and Misaki Doi {WTA95} but still had Mai Hontama {WTA129} and Yuki Naito {WTA29} to make a strong team.
With every tie constituting of two singles and one doubles. It was important for any team to have two strong singles player playing up front as the doubles was being played at the last.
India were without Sania Mirza who had to pull out at the very last moment and second highest singles ranked player Karman Kaur Thandi who is currently out sue to injury. In the last season India took full advantage of Japan’s absence from the group to beat everyone except China to make to the Play-offs wherein they lost to Latvia 1-3.
The tournament this year was being played on the clay court in Turkey and India was being represented by Ankita Raina {WTA303}, Riya Bhatia {WTA464}, Rutuja Bhosale {WTA479} and Sowjanya Bavisetti {WTA591}.
India vs Japan | 0-3
India started off the campaign against the formidable Japan team and in the first match Rutuja was bagled by the Naito. Rutuja put up fight in the next set only to lose it 4-6 and thsu ending the match at 0-6, 4-6. In the second match Ankita Raina was up against Hontama and Raina who is ranked almost 200 places below her opponent showed great grit in the match but lost it in the close sets. 4-6, 4-6 and thus giving unassasible lead of 0-2. India also lost the doubles match 0-6, 4-6
Source | IndiaTennisDaily
India vs China | 0-3
After losing the first tie to Japan, India were up against the strongest team in the group China. India fielded Riya Bhatia in place of Rutuja Bhosale against lin zhu but the result was inevitable as Riya who is ranked moe than 350 places below her failed to put up any fight. She lost 1-6, 3-6. It was always going to be a tough one against the highest ranked singles player in the group and Ankit despite showing some resiliance was not able to keep India alive in the tie to lose 4-6, 2-6. India ended up losing the doubles match as well 5-7, 1-6
India vs Indonesia | 2-1
After losing the first two to China and Japan India faced Indonesia in a bid to avoid relegation. India again fielded Rutuja Bhosale against a low ranked Gumulya and she won the first match 6-4, 6-1 to bring cheer in the Indian camp. Experienced Ankita Raina who was playing her match against a similar ranked player showed no mercy to beat Sutjiadi 6-1, 6-2 in less than an hour. India lost the doubles match 4-6, 7-6, 2-6
Source | IndiaTennisDaily
India vs New Zealand | 2-1
Rutuja Bhosale continued to keep her place as the first choice singles player and she didnt dissapoint winning the match against relatively inexperienced Ivanov 6-1, 7-6 and Ankit Raina returned to court to beat Hourigan 7-5, 6-3 to seal the tie. However India lost the doubles match yet again 2-6, 0-6
India vs South Korea | 2-1
In the all important last tie which was to decide who finishes third in the group India opted for Riya Bhatia against an experienced Na-Ri Kim. Riya won the first set 6-3 but the Korean bonced back with a second set 6-2. Riya with some cheerful support from the Indian contingent came back strongly to seal the match 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. In the second match the Indian star player Ankita Raina defeated Dabin Kim comfortably 6-2, 6-3 to ensure India finishes third in the group. Indian returned to the court in a bid to win the first doubles match but it wasnt to be as the South Korean girls gave no chance. India lost 1-6, 3-6
Overall it was a good performance by the Indian team to finish third in the group which had two powerhouses in Asian zone. However not winning any of the doubles tie was concerning as we lost to Indonesia and New Zealand as well.
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