In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Indian tennis players marked their presence in the second round of the Women’s ITF Precision Solapur Open Tennis Tournament, a $25,000 event organized by the Solapur District Lawn Tennis Association in collaboration with the Maharashtra Lawn Tennis Association.
Controversially, discussions emerge regarding the need for greater recognition and coverage of women’s tennis tournaments in India. Critics argue that despite the commendable performances by Indian women players, the sports media tends to focus more on men’s events, potentially impacting the visibility and support for women in tennis.
The spotlight falls on impressive victories as wildcard entrant Madhurima Sawant secures a straight-set win against Soumya Vig, showcasing her prowess in the competition. Rituja Bhosale, the fifth seed, displayed resilience in a hard-fought match against Shravya Shivani Chilakalapudi, ultimately advancing to the second round with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 triumph.
Seventh seed Sahaja Yamalapalli demonstrated her prowess with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory over wildcard entry Smriti Bhasin. Additionally, Srivalli Rashmika Bhamidipti of India outplayed Japan’s Misaki Matsuda with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 win, solidifying her spot in the next round.
In doubles action, the Japanese duo Hiromi Abe and Saki Imamura dominated Sai Samhita Chamarthi and Soha Sadiq of India with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0 victory. Funa Kozaki and Misaki Matsuda from Japan also secured a decisive 6-1, 6-2 win against the pairing of Honoka Kobayashi and Vicky van de Peer from Belarus.
As the tournament progresses, eyes are on top seed Maria Timofeeva of Russia, who effortlessly advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Indian qualifier Humera Bahramus.
