Ankita Raina, India’s highest ranked women singles player, lifted her second singles title of the year with a win at the ITF $25K tournament at Nonthaburi, Thailand. The second seed beat Japan’s Risa Ozaki 6-2, 6-3 in the final.
Raina, who had recently played in the singles qualifiers at Wimbledon before losing in the second round, enjoyed a dominant run at the hardcourt tournament, dropping three sets en route the title.
In the first round, she beat compatriot Pranjala Yadlapalli 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3 and followed it with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 win over Gabriella Da Silva Fick. She then notched an impressive 6-1,6-4 win over Tamaryn Hendler before coming from behind to beat Korea’s third seed Han Na-lae 1-6, 7-5, 6-0.
Title no.2 for 2018, this time in Thailand at the ITF 25K event. Very grateful to Sports Authority of Gujarat @sportsgujarat , @YonexInd Yonex and my employer @ONGC_ @ONGC_ . pic.twitter.com/y3u89JLLpw
— Ankita Raina (@ankita_champ) July 14, 2018
In the final, against fourth seed Ozaki, who is a former top-100 player, she was strong from the start letting her opponent win only five games. Converting four out of eight break points, and dropping serve just once, she raced through the match in 84 minutes.
Her first title of the year was the $25,000 ITF tournament in Gwalior where she beat France’s Amandine Hesse in straight sets.
This title will help her break back into the top-200 on the WTA tour from her current rank of 214. The 25-year-old has climbed up the ranks in 2018 with her good run earning her qualification spots in two Grand Slams. At the French Open, her first Major experience, she bowed out in the first round, while she reached the second on grass at the All England Club.