India's women's doubles campaign at the Asian Games 2023 came to an end in the second round of competition. But on Tuesday, September 26, top-ranked male player Sumit Nagal maintained his lead by triumphing in straight sets.
- On Tuesday, the Indian tennis team had mixed results.
- Rutuja Bhosale was eliminated from the women's singles tournament
- while Sumit Nagal proceeded to the quarterfinals of the competition.
The two Indians moved one step closer to singles medals by reaching the quarterfinals at the Asian Games on Tuesday. Counterpuncher Sumit Nagal blunted the challenge of big-serving Beibit Zhukayev with his endurance, and Ankita Raina easily outgunned Adithya P Karunaratne.
While Raina easily defeated her Hong Kong opponent in the third round of the women's singles competition with a score of 6-1 6-2, Kazakhstan's Zhukayev struggled to control the points against Nagal for a 7-6 (9) 6-4 victory.
Bronze medals in the tennis competition at the Games are guaranteed to the semifinalists.
The Asian Games put an end to Ramkumar Ramanathan and Rutuja Bhosale's singles challenge, though.
It was fun to watch Nagal go around the court and his incredible retrieving skills as Zhukayev attempted drop shots multiple times but Nagal consistently reached the ball to score.
Nagal kept the ball in play since he always had the advantage if the points were long despite Zhukayev's big serves and groundstrokes, who were also hitting them with a lot of force.
After fending off two set chances, Nagal won the first set by hitting a wide backhand that Zhukayev couldn't return and volleyed wide while attempting to score.
When Zhukayev buried a backhand on net on the second match point in game 10, the 26-year-old ended the Kazakh's chances with another break.
In the one hour and 34 minute match, Raina, the top-ranked Indian woman in singles, saved two of the three breakpoints she faced against her 354th-ranked opponent and converted all three of her breakpoints.
She will now compete for a spot in the semifinals against Japan's Haruka Kaji (ranked 213).
Bhosale, who was ranked 336, lost in one hour and 51 minutes in a battle to Filipina's Alexandra Eala, who was ranked 190.
Ramkumar faced off in the men's singles against Yosuke Watanuki, ranked 78th in the world, and it was always going to be a difficult matchup for the Indian, who has struggled mightily this season.
Ramkumar, to his credit, had his stronger Japanese opponent work hard for his 7-5 6-7 (3) 7-5 victory in the two hours and forty minute match.
Yuki Bhambri and Ankita Raina, the top-seeded Indian team in the mixed doubles, defeated Pakistan's Aqeel Khan and Sarah Khan by scores of 6-0, 6-0 to advance to the pre-quarterfinals.
Doubles for women
However, after losing to Thailand's Anchisa Chanta and Punnin Kovatitukted 5-7, 2-6 in 1 hour and 59 minutes, Bhosale and her partner Karman Kaur Thandi announced their exit from the women's doubles competition.
Ankita Raina and Gulabrao Thombare, the third seed in the second women's doubles round, were eliminated by Thailand in straight sets.
