PUNE: Vaidehi Chaudhari and Shrivalli Rashmikaa have been riding a wave the past few weeks and they stayed on the crest on Tuesday, registering stunning victories at the $25,000 ITF NECC-Deccan women’s tennis event.
Ahmedabad-based pro Vaidehi tamed 2020 Australian Open girls’ runner-up Weronika Baszak of Poland 6-2, 6-4 while Rashmikaa knocked out Rutuja Bhosale 0-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.
“I am really glad. It is the biggest win of my career so far,” smiled qualifier Rashmikaa, who will next take on Uzbekistan’s Nigina Abduraimova.
The Hyderabadi is now 8-1 after her semifinal run in Bengaluru two weeks ago.
The scoreline is one of those strange one tennis can throw up.
“At the start, she played very strong. She is a top player, I was just waiting for an opportunity but she gave me none,” said Rashmikaa.
That opening came in the second set after Rutuja had taken a 3-1 lead.
“I just stayed consistent and cut down on my errors. She was very strong in groundstrokes and I thought if I stayed a little longer in the rallies, she might make errors,” she explained about the turn-around in the match.
As Rutuja began to be engulfed in self-doubt at one end, her opponent began to assert herself with her big serve and the follow-up second shot.
“As a kid, I was always like that,” said Rashmikaa on her 1-2 game style.
“I have become more consistent now.”
For Vaidehi, the final-loss to Rutuja in Solapur seems to be a blip.
While Rutuja looked unlike the champion, Vaidehi hardly let the disappointment affect her game.
The Altevol Sports Academy student, who trains under Jignesh Rawal, seems to be looking to make up for lost time as she had been down with Covid and dengue in a short span this year.
But Vaidehi found opportunity in adversity.
“Due to Covid and dengue, I had become weak. So to get back the strength in my legs, I focussed a lot on my foot work. That’s what helped me in Bengaluru,” she said.
In other matches, Karman Kaur Thandi, playing in relatively warm conditions after her lengthy stay in Europe, overcame her own indifferent form to beat Soha Sadiq 6-1, 6-2; Pranjala Yadlapalli, retired hurt with a hamstring niggle while trailing 2-6, 1-1 to Aleem Qamar.
Sowjanya Bavisetti went down fighting 6-4, 3-6, 2-6 to Russian Ekaterina Reynold in two hours and 42 minutes.
Ahmedabad-based pro Vaidehi tamed 2020 Australian Open girls’ runner-up Weronika Baszak of Poland 6-2, 6-4 while Rashmikaa knocked out Rutuja Bhosale 0-6, 6-4, 6-0 in the first round.
“I am really glad. It is the biggest win of my career so far,” smiled qualifier Rashmikaa, who will next take on Uzbekistan’s Nigina Abduraimova.
The Hyderabadi is now 8-1 after her semifinal run in Bengaluru two weeks ago.
The scoreline is one of those strange one tennis can throw up.
“At the start, she played very strong. She is a top player, I was just waiting for an opportunity but she gave me none,” said Rashmikaa.
That opening came in the second set after Rutuja had taken a 3-1 lead.
“I just stayed consistent and cut down on my errors. She was very strong in groundstrokes and I thought if I stayed a little longer in the rallies, she might make errors,” she explained about the turn-around in the match.
As Rutuja began to be engulfed in self-doubt at one end, her opponent began to assert herself with her big serve and the follow-up second shot.
“As a kid, I was always like that,” said Rashmikaa on her 1-2 game style.
“I have become more consistent now.”
For Vaidehi, the final-loss to Rutuja in Solapur seems to be a blip.
While Rutuja looked unlike the champion, Vaidehi hardly let the disappointment affect her game.
The Altevol Sports Academy student, who trains under Jignesh Rawal, seems to be looking to make up for lost time as she had been down with Covid and dengue in a short span this year.
But Vaidehi found opportunity in adversity.
“Due to Covid and dengue, I had become weak. So to get back the strength in my legs, I focussed a lot on my foot work. That’s what helped me in Bengaluru,” she said.
In other matches, Karman Kaur Thandi, playing in relatively warm conditions after her lengthy stay in Europe, overcame her own indifferent form to beat Soha Sadiq 6-1, 6-2; Pranjala Yadlapalli, retired hurt with a hamstring niggle while trailing 2-6, 1-1 to Aleem Qamar.
Sowjanya Bavisetti went down fighting 6-4, 3-6, 2-6 to Russian Ekaterina Reynold in two hours and 42 minutes.