Wild card Rutuja Bhosale caused a major upset in the $25,000 NECC ITF Women’s Tennis tournament in Pune on Tuesday by knocking out India number one and third seed Ankita Raina in the singles first round.
The 21-year-old fought off a second set comeback by 2014 champion Ankita to ultimately prevail 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2 in two hours and 27 minutes.
It was Rutuja’s first-ever victory over the 24-year-old Ankita, who recently reached the quarters of the $125,000 WTA Mumbai Open, in four meetings on the circuit and she will now face qualifier Kaja Juvan of Slovenia in the second round.
“Winning against Ankita (Raina) gives me confidence, she is India No. 1. There was no pressure of playing her (Ankita). She was in form and had a good run in the WTA Mumbai last week and thus I had to give my best to beat her,” Rutuja said after her victory.
Two other Indians bit the dust in the first round on day two of the main draw.
Qualifier Dhruti Venugopal fought well in the opening set against no. 8 seed Mai Minokoshi of Japan before losing 7-6(4), 6-4 while Pranjala Yadlapalli, a wild card, was knocked out by Ukraines Valeria Strakhova 6-4, 6-3.