Mumbai, Feb 8 (IANS) The dream run of 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran came to an end in the semifinals of the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series event here, when she lost in straight sets against Jil Teichmann 3-6,1-6 at the Cricket Club of India on Saturday.
Maaya, who is coached by R. Manoj Kumar, had started the tournament as a wildcard entry, and made the semifinals, in what was her first senior tournament. India’s Prarthana Thambore alongside Dutch partner Arianne Hartono will play in the doubles final on Sunday.
Jil set the tone for the first set early on by winning the first four games of the opening set. Maaya tried to regain her form by winning the next two games in a row. However, the experienced Swiss fought back well and ended the first set 6-3 in her favour. Jil continued to build on her momentum in the second set winning the first four but Maaya’s relentless efforts helped her win the fifth game. The young Indian prodigy couldn’t keep up with Jil’s consistent strong returns and bagged the second set and a seat in the final, with a score of 6-1.
In the other singles semifinal, Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew eighth seed, stunned second-seeded Rebecca Marino of Canada with an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 victory and secured a place in the final.
Sawangkaew delivered an impressive performance that left little room for her higher-ranked opponent to gain any foothold in the match. The first set saw Sawangkaew assert her dominance early, breaking Marino’s serve twice with clinical returns. Her aggressive approach, combined with a powerful serve, yielded three aces that kept the Canadian under constant pressure. Marino struggled to find a rhythm, often committing unforced errors as Sawangkaew dictated the pace of play from the baseline.
Riding the momentum of her first-set triumph, Sawangkaew carried the same intensity into the second set. She maintained relentless pressure on Marino, moving swiftly around the court and capitalised on Marino’s defensive lapses. Sawangkaew’s aggressive returns and accurate groundstrokes paved the way for another two service breaks. Her composed demeanour and strategic shot placement prevented Marino from staging any meaningful comeback.
Despite Marino’s attempts to fight back, the Thai player maintained control throughout, wrapping up the set and match 6-2.
Earlier in the day, the Russian duo of Amina Anshba and Elena Pridankina, seeded second stormed into the doubles final having overcome a one-set deficit to defeat the fourth-seeded Italian pair, Nicole Fossa Huergo and Camilla Rosatello, 4-6, 6-3, 10-3. The Italians started strong, racing to a 4-0 lead in the first set by breaking the Russian pair’s serve twice. Despite a spirited comeback attempt by Anshba and Pridankina, who narrowed the gap to 4-3, the Italians held their nerve to clinch the set 6-4.
Refusing to back down, the Russian duo displayed greater composure and tactical sharpness in the second set, breaking their opponents three times to level the match at one set apiece with a 6-3 victory. The deciding third set proved thrilling, with Anshba and Pridankina dominating the tiebreak 10-3, showcasing clinical shot-making and superior teamwork. The Russians will face Prarthana in the double finale.
Results:
Singles:
Jil Teichmann bt Maaya Rajeshwaran 6-3, 6-1; Mananchaya Sawangkaew bt Rebecca Marino 6-2, 6-2;
Doubles:
Amina Anshba & Elena Pridankina bt Camilla Rosatello & Nicole Fossa Huergo 4-6, 6-3, 10-3.
–IANS
bsk/