Dalwinder, Samitha move into 2nd round

MUMBAI: National champion and second seed Dalwinder Singh of Punjab eased past unseeded Jatin Dahiya in two sets in a men’s singles first round match of the AITA Ranking Rs 22 lakh prize-money JVPG Anirudh Desai All-India Open Tennis Tournament 2018 here on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old Dalwinder was in complete control and hit some fine winners to cruise past Dahiya, winning 6-3, 6-2 and moving into the second round, a media release said.

In other men’s singles matches, Kunal Anand, seeded fourth, brushed aside the challenge from Shahbaaz Khan, scripting a 6-4, 6-3 win, while qualifier Dhruv Sunish produced a creditable performance to tame a higher ranked opponent Nitin Kumar Sinha in two sets at 6-2, 6-4.

In women’s action, second seed Sai Samitha also enjoyed an easy opening round as she breezed past unseeded Shruti Gupta, posting a fluent 6-0, 6-2 victory.

Third seed Rishika Sunkara was in great form, dropping just one game as she packed off unseeded Mihika Yadav 6-1, 6-0 in quick time to progress to the second round.

Meanwhile, unseeded Dakshata Patel scored a shock win against seventh seed Shweta C Rana, romping to a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 win. Fourth seed Nithyaraj Baburaj proved too good for Avika Sagwal and charged to a 6-1, 6-0 win.

RESULTS Women’s singles (1stround):

Bhuvana Kalva bt Nikita Bishnoi 6-1, 6-2; 3-Rishika Sunkara bt Mihika Yadav 6-1, 6-0; Arushi Vikram Bhasin bt Shrishti Daas 6-1, 7-5; Shreya Tatavarthy bt Moulika Ram 6-1, 6-0; 2-Sai Samitha bt Shruti Gupta 6-0, 6-2; Dakshata Patel bt 7-Shweta C Rana 6-1, 6-2; 4-Nithyaraj Baburaj bt Avika Sagwal 6-1, 6-0; 8-Nidhi Chilumula bt Kaaviya Balasubramaniam 6-1, 6-1; Sara Yadav bt Nidhitra Rajmohan 6-2, 7-6; Bhuvana Kalva bt Nikita Bishnoi 6-1, 6-2; 3-Rishika Sunkara bt Mihika Yadav 6-1, 6-0.