Bhambri upsets top seed Raina at ITF womens Championships

National Champion Prerna Bhambri scored the biggest upset of the event, knocking out top seed and world ranked 298 Ankita Raina, while eighth seed Nidhi Chilumula stunned third seed Rishika Sunkara to enter the semifinals of the USD 10000 Endurance MSLTA ITF womens Championships here.
Unseeded lefthander Sowjanya Bavisetti and second seeded Prathana Thombare also made it to the last four with contrasting wins.
In the quarterfinals, sixth seed Bhambri, ranked 593 currently, played attacking tennis in the second and the thrid set to topple top seeded Ankita 4-6,6-2,6-3 in a match that lasted for two hours and 15 minutes.

Ankita started the set with a 3-1 lead but Bhambri clawed her way winning three games in a row to go up 4-3. Raina Broke back in the 7th and the 9th games to win the first set 6-4.
In the second set, Prerna dominated the game with some attacking tennis breaking Raina twice to win the second set 6-2 and force the third set.
In the decider, both players held on till 3-3 when Prerna broke Ankita to go up 4-3. She then held on to her serve to take the score to 5-3.

In the 9th game, Bhambri led 0-40 , but Ankita showed signs of comeback making it duece, but lost two points again to falter and give Bhambri her first win over Raina in the last eight months.

"I played well today and felt in the zone," said Prerna after the match.
"I lost to a better player today," said Ankita.
In another upset match, eighth seeded Nidhi Chilumula scored a rather easy 6-3,6-3 win over third seeded and 515 ranked Rishika Sunkara in an hour and 45 minute tussle to make it to the last four stage.