Asian Games: Indian tennis players make a strong start in Hangzhou

NEW DELHI: Indian singles tennis players enjoyed a successful day at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou, with Ankita Raina, Rutuja Bhosale, and Ramkumar Ramanathan advancing to the pre-quarterfinals.

Ankita Raina displayed a dominant performance in her round of 32 match, defeating Uzbekistan's Sabrina Olimjonova with a scoreline of 6-0, 6-0 in just 51 minutes. She secured both sets in under 30 minutes each.

Rutuja Bhosale faced a tougher challenge, particularly in the first set where she triumphed 7-6 (2) against Kazakhstan's Aruzhan Sagandykova. However, she cruised through the second set with a 6-2 score, ultimately winning the match. The match lasted a little over two hours, with the first set consuming 76 minutes.

Ramkumar Ramanathan received a walkover in his match as his opponent, Sunatullo Isroilov of Tajikistan, was unable to compete.

In a previous match, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal began his men's singles campaign at the 19th Asian Games with an impressive victory, defeating Macao China's Ho Tin Marco 6-0, 6-0 in straight sets. Nagal had received a bye in the first round.

The Indian doubles duo of Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan also had a successful outing, advancing to the pre-quarterfinals with a commanding 6-2, 6-3 victory over Nepal's Bastola Abhishek and Khadka Pradip.

Tennis events at the Asian Games started on September 24 and will continue until September 30. In the history of the Asian Games, India has secured a total of 32 medals in tennis, including nine gold medals, six silver medals, and 17 bronze medals.

(With ANI inputs)

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