Sanaa, Rushmi enter main draw of Sunfeast Open

Kolkata, Sep 17 (UNI) Indian Sanaa Bhambri became the first player to qualify for the main draw after conquering Sabine Lisicki, ranked 196 places above her at 495, in the qualifier and was joined by compatriot Rushmi Chakravarthi who got the better of Tara Iyer.

Sanaa looked in prime touch today getting the better of Sabine 7-6(7-4), 7-5. After a tough first setter that she won via tie-break 7-4, in the second she never looked like giving up.

While a smart down the line return was enough to clinch the tie-break, in the second set it was a constant trading of breaks from both the players. Eventually Sanaa held her serve in the 11th and broke Sabine in the 12th to clinch the affair.

Earlier, Sanaa had caused the first upset of the Sunfeast Open when she ousted the big-serving Dutch Brenda Schultz-Mccarthy in a thrilling three setter in the qualifiers yesterday.

In the other match, a veteran on Indian circuit, Rushmi Chakravarthi registerd her entry into the main draw with a facile win over Tara Iyer 7-5, 6-4.

Talented and inconsistent as she has often been termed, Rushmi broke Tara with ease displaying a varied range of strokes from the baseline as she made it to the main draw in style.

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