India’s Ankita Raina’s bid to reach the main draw of the 2023 US Open ended on Friday after the she lost to Sweden’s Mirjam Bjorklund in the third round of the women’s singles qualification.
Raina, ranked 154 in the world, had reached the final qualification round after beating 14th seed Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov and Miriam Bulgaru in straight sets.
On Friday, Raina was broken twice in the opening set and even though she got a break back at 2-4, Bjorklund broke Raina once again before closing out the first set 6-2.
The Indian started the second set positively bringing up four break points over two games but she couldn’t convert any. Raina would come to rue her missed opportunity as Bjorklund broke the Indian in a marathon fifth game to lead 3-2.
Raina lost all steam after that break as Bjorklund won the next three game to close out a 6-2, 6-2 win and reach the US Open main draw.
Raina’s loss means that there will be no Indian players in the men’s and women’s singles main draw.
Sumit Nagal lost 3-6, 5-7 in the opening round of qualification to Japan’s Taro Daniel, while Karman Kaur Thandi lost 6-3, 5-7, 3-6 to France’s Oceane Dodin in her qualification opener.
