In a thrilling display of resilience, Ankita Raina staged a remarkable comeback to secure a spot in the singles semifinals of the ITF Women's Open in Gurugram.
Overcoming a challenging first set against Sweden's Jacqueline Cabaj Awad, Ankita battled back to claim victory with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in their quarterfinal clash on Friday.
The Indian ace, seeded second in the tournament, will now face Lithuanian third seed Justina Mikulskyte in the upcoming semifinal encounter. Justina advanced to the semis after defeating Russian qualifier Ekaterina Kazionova with a convincing score of 6-3, 6-2.
Meanwhile, in the other semifinal matchup, top seed Dalila Jakkupovic is set to take on unseeded Yeonwoo Ku of South Korea. Yeonwoo secured her place in the semis with an impressive victory over Kazakhstan's Zhibek Kulambayeva, winning 6-0, 6-3.
Ankita's journey to the semifinals was marked by a spirited performance, as she rallied back from a set down to clinch victory against her Swedish opponent. After conceding the opening set, Ankita displayed resilience in the following sets, showcasing her skill and determination to secure the win.
In addition to her singles success, Ankita also advanced to the doubles final alongside partner Zhibek Kulambayeva of Kazakhstan. The duo secured a hard-fought victory over the Indo-Japanese pair of Riya Bhatia and Michika Ozeki, winning 7-5, 6-2. They will now face the pair of Jacqueline and Justina Mikulskyte in the doubles final.
Despite a valiant effort, Sahaja Yamalapalli of India fell short in her quarterfinal match against Slovenian top seed Dalila, losing with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-3, 0-6.
Ankita's impressive performance and advancement in both singles and doubles categories highlight her prowess on the court and position her as a formidable contender in the ongoing tournament.
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