Changsha [China], April 11 (ANI): The Indian women’s tennis team defeated Chinese Taipei 2-1 in the third Billie Jean King Cup 2024 Asia/Oceania Group I match at Moon Island Clay Park in Changsha on Thursday.
After both sides won one singles match apiece, the doubles rubber proved to be the decider, with Ankita Raina and Prarthana Thombare combining to swing the tie to India’s advantage.
Rutuja Bhosale, ranked 379th in the world, handed India an early advantage by defeating Hao-Ching Chang 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 21 minutes.
World No. 255 Ankita Raina, India’s top-ranked tennis player in the WTA singles world rankings, opened her match strongly against Chinese Taipei’s top singles card, En Shuo Liang.
The Indian tennis player easily won the opening set, but Liang rallied to defeat Raina 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 in a marathon match that lasted just a minute shy of two and a half hours. Interestingly, Raina and Liang would also square off in the third match. In order to win the tie, both camps presented their strongest potential lineups for the final doubles rubber.
While Raina teamed up with Prarthana Thombare, India’s top-ranked doubles player at world No. 154, the Chinese Taipei pair included Chang and Liang, who were both playing their second match of the tie.
The decider was a fascinating match, with both teams going all out for the win. Raina and Thombare dropped the first set against Chang-Liang, but rallied back to square the score in the second set and force a super tie-breaker. After a neck-and-neck struggle, the Indian tennis players won 4-6, 6-1, 15-13 to secure the tie.
The victory lifted India to the third spot in the six-team Asia/Oceania Group I standings with two wins from three ties. (ANI)
