Former National champion Riya Bhatia saved a bunch of match-points to beat eighth seed Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine 1-6, 7-6(12), 6-3 in the first round of the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament on Tuesday.
The results: Singles (first round): Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Jacqueline Cabaj Awad (Swe) 6-4, 6-4; Eri Hozumi (Jpn) bt Dan Ni Wang (Chn) 6-1, 6-1.
Hiroko Kuwata (Jpn) bt Gozal Ainitdinova (Kaz) 6-0, 6-2; Riya Bhatia bt Valeriya Strakhova (Ukr) 1-6, 7-6(12), 6-3; Diana Marcinkevica (Lat) bt Rashi Malviya 6-0, 6-2; Karman Kaur Thandi bt Snehal Mane 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Emily Webley-Smith (GBr) & Rutuja Bhosale bt Vlada Katic (Isr) & Prarthana Thombare 6-2, 6-4; Jennifer Luikham & Mihika Yadav bt Humera Shaik & Sara Yadav 7-5, 4-6, [10-6]; Melanie Klaffner (Aut) & Sarah-Rebecca Sekulic (Ger) bt Sravya Shivani Chilakalapudi & Snehall Mane 6-2, 6-2 .
