Australian Open: Ankita Raina Turns into 3rd Indian Woman To Function In Grand Slam Primary Draw | Tennis Information

Ankita Raina on Sunday changed into simplest the 3rd Indian girl tennis participant to safe a spot in the principle draw of a Grand Slam as she made the lower for the ladies’s doubles match of the Australian Open. The 12 months’s first Grand Slam begins in Melbourne on Monday. After lacking out at the girls’s singles primary draw, she nonetheless had an opportunity to qualify as a ‘fortunate loser’ until the crowning glory of the primary spherical, however the 28-year-old realised a long-time dream when she signed up with Romania’s Mihaela Buzarnescu and earned an immediate access.

Most effective Sania Mirza and Nirupama Vaidyanathan have competed within the Grand Slam primary attracts for India prior to.

Ankita is simplest the second one Indian after Sania, a six-time Grand Slam champion, to compete within the girls’s doubles of a tennis main. Nirupama was once the primary to crack a Grand Slam primary draw, again in 1998 at Australian Open.

The braveheart, who performed a key position in Indian Fed Cup group’s super growth, stated even though singles grasp a special importance, making the doubles too is particular.

“It is first primary draw of a Grand Slam, so singles or doubles, I can take it. It is particular. Years of onerous paintings, toil and now I’m there. Now not simplest my onerous paintings however blessings and beef up of numerous other folks have introduced me right here, I will’t omit that,” Ankita informed PTI moments upon getting confirming her access.

“I comprehend it’s doubles however India’s identify will probably be there. Those are the moments that spark one thing amongst other folks. Perhaps a couple of will get started dreaming that it is conceivable,” she added.

“Other folks get started believing. We contact many small milestones however this one is at a pinnacle. Any individual who begins taking part in skilled tennis, desires of taking part in in a Grand Slam.”

“Without reference to the truth that it’s doubles, I can take it. I saved at it. I stayed within the procedure. Perhaps subsequent time, I can play singles too. After years of onerous paintings, it’s beginning with doubles however singles will occur. It is first, so particular,” she added.

Ankita stated first of all she didn’t in finding her identify within the draw and was once disillusioned.

“I will’t imagine it, I neglected my identify within the sheet. After observe I requested for the draw and frantically appeared for my identify. I didn’t in finding it. Then my trainer referred to as me to mention I’ve made it,” she stated.

Ankita had signed up with Romanian southpaw Mihaela, who was once a top-50 singles participant prior to harm pegged her again, on Friday.

They are going to open their marketing campaign in opposition to Australian wild card pair of Olivia Gadecki and Belinda Woolcock.

“A chum informed me that Mihaela is on the lookout for a spouse. I spoke to her and he or she agreed. I’ve now not performed along with her prior to however I’ve performed with a lefty at the excursion. It make a just right mixture. I’m taking a look ahead to it.”

Now India could have 4 Indians competing within the season’s first Grand Slam.

Sumit Nagal will compete within the males’s singles whilst Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will provide their problem within the males’s doubles with their respective companions.

Nagal has drawn Lithiania’s Ricardas Berankis as his first spherical opponent.

Promoted

Bopanna and his Jap spouse Ben McLachlan will tackle Korean wild card entrants Ji Sung Nam and Min-Kyu Track.

Sharan and his Slovakian spouse Igor Zelenay will tackle German combo of Yannick Hanfmann and Kevin Krawietz