Mahak Jain shocks higher-ranked Russian Yana in Mumbai Open

India's Mahak Jain pulled off a surprise three-set win over higher ranked Yana Sizikova to enter the second and last qualifying round of the USD 125,000 WTA L&T Mumbai Open tennis championship Saturday.

Seventeen-year-old wild card Mahak, who hails from Bhopal, put her first serves in on a consistent basis to get past her Russian rival, seeded sixth in the qualifiers, 3-6 6-3 7-5 in 2 hours and 18 minutes to get into the second qualifying round in the singles.

The Russian, with a world rank of 374, blew hot and cold on her serve as she hit seven aces, but also committed eight double faults, that helped the Indian to fight her way back.

Mahak, ranked a distant 658 in the world, will take on second seed Hiroko Kuwata on Sunday for a place in the 32-strong singles main draw commencing on October 29.

Also through to the second qualifying round was Pranjala Yadlapalli, seeded third in this phase, who put out compatriot Mihika Yadav quite easily 6-3 6-0.

Pranjala will take on Georgia's Oksana Kalashnikova in the final qualifying round.

Two other Indian players, Sowjanya Bavisetti and Ashmitha Easwaramurthi, failed to progress to the second qualifying round, after they were beaten in straight sets by Kuwata and Sofia Shapatava of Georgia respectively.

The tournament organisers provided wild cards to India's Karman Kaur Thandi and Rutuja Bhosale, thus ensuring that these two women join direct entrant Ankita Raina in the main draw.

While Karman drew top seed Zheng Saisai of China, ranked 47th, as her first round opponent, Rutuja drew Ankita as her opponent in round one.

Results: Singles (1st qualifying round): Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO) bt Ksenia Ulukan (KGZ) 6-2 6-1; Hiroko Kuwata (JPN) bt Sowjanya Bavisetti (IND) 6-2 6-1; Sofia Shapatava (GEO) bt Ashmitha Easwaramurthi (IND) 6-0 6-3; Tereza Martincova (CZE) bt Naoko Eto (JPN) 6-0 6-0; Mahak Jain (IND) bt Yana Sizikova (RUS) 3-6 6-3 7-5; Natalija Kostic (SRB) bt Fiona Codino (FRA) 7-5 6-0; Urszula Radwanska (POL) bt Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) 6-4 6-3.

-PTI