Rishika, Prerna advance to second round in tennis

Qualifier Rishika Sunkara and wildcard Prerna Bhambri secured contrasting but straight set victories over fellow Indians to advance to the second round of the QNET Open $50,000 ITF Women's Circuit at DLTA Tennis Complex here Monday.

Rishika, who ended up on the losing side the last couple of times she faced Shweta Rana, found the first round match a piece of cake. She controlled the match from the start and Shweta made it easier by losing her cool.

"Having lost the last two times to Shweta, I did not think this is going to be this easy. We have been playing together for a long time now and know one another's game. It all boils down to how one plays crucial points," Rishika said, who went on to make the day a memorable one by going through to the doubles quarter-finals with Arantxa Andrady.

After struggling a little in the opening set against Sharon Sanchana Paul, who was lucky to be given a wildcard, Prerna stamped her presence and claimed a 6-4, 6-2 victory. She will most likely face second-seeded Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukraine) next.

Russia's left-handed Margarita Lazareva beat Romanian Daiana Negreanu 7-5, 6-3.

Results (Indians unless specified):

Singles (first round): Margarita Lazareva (Russia) beat Daiana Negreanu (Romania) 7-5, 6-3; Harmony Tan (France) beat Peangtarn Plipuech (Thailand) 6-4, 6-0; Rishika Sunkara beat Shweta Rana 6-2, 6-0; Lu Jia-Jing (China) beat Chang Liu (China) 7-6(3), 6-1; Prerna Bhambri beat Sharon Sanchana Paul 6-4, 6-2.

Doubles (first round): (1) Lertpitaksinchai Nicha and Peangtarn Plipuech (Thailand) beat Ushna Suhail (Pakistan) and Vaniya Dangwal (India) 6-0, 6-0; Prathana Thombare and Emily Webley-Smith (Britain) beat Himani Mor and Vanshika Sawhney 6-2, 6-0; (4) Liu Chang and Lu Jia-Jing (China) beat Bhuvana Kalva and Natasha Palha 7-6(5), 2-6, 10-8; Kamonwam Buayam (Thailand) and Sabina Sharipova (Uzbekistan) beat Ivana Jorovic (Serbia) and Sofiya Kovalets (Ukraine) 6-3, 1-6, 10-5; Hsu Ching-Wen (Chinese Taipei) and Wang Xi-Yao (China) beat Daiana Negreanu (Romania) and Prerna Bhambri 6-1, 7-6(6); (3)Margarita Lazareva (Russia) and Anastasiya Vasylyeva (Ukraine) beat Riya Bhatia and Sharon Sanchana Paul 6-2, 6-0; Arantxa Andrady and Rishika Sunkara beat Wu Ho Ching (Hong Kong) and Sai Samhitha Chamarthi 7-6(4), 6-3; (2) Marina Melnikova (Russia) and Elise Mertens (Belgium) beat Fama al-Nabhani (Oman) and Ankita Raina 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-3.