Natasha, Karman Kaur knocked out in round one

India's Natasha Palha, a wild card, and Karman Kaur Thandi, who came through the qualifying rounds, crashed out of the NECC-ITF Women's USD 25,000 Tennis Tournament at the Deccan Gymkhana here today by losing their opening round main draw matches.
Natasha was beaten by Belarussian rival Sviatlana Pirazhenkha in straight sets, while Karman also went down in straight sets to Japan's Ayaka Okuno.
Natasha lost the opening set easily and then she regrouped a bit to offer some resistance. She took the second set into tie-break, which she lost 3-7.
Karman Kaur committed nine double faults to just two by Ayaka Okuno of Japan to hand over the initiative to her opponent.

Though Karman sent down two aces to just one by Ayaka, that was not enough to inspire the level of her game. Karman lost 2-6 4-6.
India's top women's singles player Ankita Raina, seeded fourth, will be seen in action tomorrow as she takes on another qualifier - compatriot Rutuja Bhosale - in round one.

Also in fray tomorrow is Sharrmadaa Baluu, who has drawn Ukrainian top seed Anastasia Vasylyeva, ranked 172 currently, as her first round opponent.
The results:
Singles (1st round): Ayaka Okuno (JPN) beat Karman Kaur Thandi (IND) 6-2 6-4l Despina Papamichail (GRE) bet Miki Miyamura (JPN) 6-2 4-6 6-3; Katy Dunne (GBR, 6) beat Anna Morgina (RUS) 7-6(7) 6-7(1) 6-4l Magdalena Frech (POL) beat Manon Arcangioli (Fra, 5) 6-1 6-2; Polina Leykina (RUS, 7) beat Jia-Jing Lu (CHN) 3-6 6-3 6-4; Kamonwan Buayam (THA) beat Kamila Kerimbayeva (KAZ) 7-5 6-4; Ellen Allgurun (SWE) beat Miyabi Inoue (JPN) 7-6(2) 6-3; Sviatlana Pirazhenka (BLR) beat Natasha Palha (IND) 6-0 7-6(3).

Doubles (1st Round): Sharrmadaa Baluu (IND)/Prarthana G Thombare (IND) beat Margarita Lazareva (RUS)/Sofia Shapatava (GEO, 4) 6-2 2-6 (10-4); Rutuja Bhosale (IND)/Nidhi Chilumula (IND) beat Bhuvana Kalva/Natasha Palha (IND)6-1 7-6(5); Anna Moggina (RUS)/Nina Stojanovic (SRB) beat Ankita Raina (IND)/Jia-Jing Lu (CHN, 3) 4-6 6-2 (10-8); Miyabi Inoue (JPN)/ Miki Miyamura (JPN, 2) beat Barbara Bonic (SRB)/Alyona Sotnikova (UKR) 6-7(0) 6-4 (10-8).