Asian Games bronze medalist Ankita Raina is the lone Indian with a straight entrance into the 2017 ITF Women’s Open.
Ankita Raina, the only Indian with a direct admission in the 2018 ITF Women’s Open, will be hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association in Bengaluru beginning January 14. She is the runner-up from the previous event and is rated 208th in singles. She is in the main draw, which includes 20 direct entry, four wild cards, and eight qualifiers. The Indians could have as many as nine players in the singles main draw, with four receiving wild cards for the main draw and five competing in the qualifiers between January 14-15.
Locals Soha Sadiq (singles ranking 823) and Suhita Maruri (singles rating 1,239) are among the wild-card Indian participants.
Darja Semenistaja of Latvia is the highest-ranked competitor in the tournament, ranked 143rd in the singles.
The event will be held for the third time and will be played under lights for the first time, with the finals scheduled for January 21.
The winner will receive USD 40,000 in prize money as well as 50 WTA points.KSLTA Vice-President and Karnataka’s IT BT & RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge commented on the competition, saying, “The KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open not only celebrates athletic excellence but also serves as a crucial stepping stone for Indian players, who gain a home advantage as they compete on familiar turf.” “The event has played a pivotal role in nurturing local talent, and contributing to the growth of women’s tennis in our nation and creating top-class athletes.” “This event is extremely important for us as it’s one of the few ITF W50 events in the world, and we welcome the sporting ambassadors from 21 countries to come and experience the hospitality of Bengaluru, which is in pursuit of becoming the global sporting destination,” he said in his speech.
