Easy singles 1st round win for Ankita in China's ITF event

Ankita Raina made a solid start to her singles campaign at the USD 50000 ITF Women's event here as the Indian number one thrashed Chinese wild card Mingyang Liu 6-3 6-2 today.
Ankita opened up a 3-0 in the opening set but dropped her serve as Liu reduced the margin to 2-3. A determined Ankita though kept playing hard and closed the set in her favour in the ninth game.
In the second set, it was on serve till the fifth game. The Indian got the first break in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. With a solid hold she made it 5-2 and broke her rival in the next to advance to the second round.

She next faces Japanese sixth seed Hiroko Kuwata, who beat China's Xinyun Han 6-2 6-2.
Ankita had yesterday advanced to the doubles quarterfinals with Serbian partner Barbara Bonic.