Australian Open: Ankita Raina win over Jessica Maneiro in qualifiers

Indian tennis player Ankita Raina is on the brink of securing a spot in the Australian Open’s main draw for women’s singles after an exhilarating win against Spain’s Jessica Maneiro. This victory brings Raina, aged 30, closer to being the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza to participate in the Australian Open’s main singles event. The intense match required Raina to battle through to a third-set tiebreak, finally clinching victory with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (10-4). Her next challenge will be against Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic, the 22nd seed in the women’s singles qualifiers.

Raina started the match strongly, showcasing her powerful serve and winning the first set 6-4. Her baseline game was impressive, and despite some struggles in rallies, she managed to secure four return winners and succeeded in 70% of her first serves. Maneiro, on the other hand, faltered with 45 unforced errors. The second set saw a shift as the young Spaniard made a comeback, breaking Raina at a crucial moment to win 7-5. The Melbourne weather added to the intensity, and Raina struggled to maintain her momentum, losing crucial breakpoints.

The third set began with Maneiro gaining an early lead, breaking Raina’s serve in the first game and swiftly moving ahead 3-1. Despite initially losing her serve three times, Maneiro was close to victory, leading 5-3. But Raina, demonstrating resilience and skill with her forehand return and first serve, fought back to tie the match and push it to a tiebreak. In the tiebreaker, Raina overcame an early 0-3 deficit to triumphantly win 10-3.

With the Australian Open draws scheduled for Thursday (Jan 11), Raina is now just two wins away from confirming her place in the prestigious tournament’s main draw.