Australian Open 2021: Ankita Raina’s Maiden Grand Slam Stint Ends in First Round

Ankit Raina lost in straight sets of women's doubles event of the Australian Open 2021.

Published: February 11, 2021 11:49 AM IST

By India.com Sports Desk | Edited by Feroz Khan

ankita raina tennis
File photo of Ankita Raina (© IANS)

Ankita Raina of India made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open 2021 today but she had to endure a first round exit after losing in women’s doubles. Raina who combined with Mihaela Buzarnecu in her maiden Majors appearance, lost in straight sets to Australian duo of Olivia Gadecki and Belinda Woolcock in Melbourne.

Ankita had created history by becoming the fifth ever women player from India to make the main draw of a Grand Slam event. With her doubles partner Bizarnecu, she lost 3-6, 0-6 in one hour and 17 minutes to local favourite wild card pair of Gadecki and Woolcock.

India’s challenge the men’s doubles competition ended with Divij Sharan and his Slovakian partner Igor Zelenay lost losing their first round match today. The pair suffered a straight sets defeat to the German combo of Yannick Hanfmann Kevin Krawietz, losing 1-6, 4-6 in an hour and four minutes.

Indian players continued to have a disappointing run at the year’s first Grand Slam event. Sumit Nagal was the first to taste defeat on the opening day when he lost in the men’s singles first round.

On Wednesday, Rohan Bopanna and his Japanese men’s doubles partner Ben McLachlan bowed out in the opening round after a 4-6, 6-7(0) defeat to the Korean wild card pair of Ji Sung Nam and Min-Kyu Song.

Bopanna, 40, spent 14 days in his room as part of mandatory quarantine before venturing out only on January 30.

In his tune-up event to Australian Open, the veteran lost in the opening round as he did not get enough competition time to be ready for the season’s first major.

However, Bopanna, still has a chance to make amends as he will partner China’s Yingying Duan in the mixed doubles and will be up against the pair of American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and United Kingdom’s Jamie Murray in the first round.

With PTI Inputs

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