Five Indian women in ITF tennis main draw

Five Indians, including no. 1 Ankita Raina, have got entries in the main draw of the USD 25,000 Endurance Aurangabad Open Women's ITF Tennis Championship starting on February 23.
Apart from Ankita, who had won a USD 10,000 ITF event in Pune in December, 2014, and is ranked 239 in the world, the other four who have made it to the main draw as wild cards are Mihika Yadav, Rashmi Teltumbde, Rishika Sunkara and Natasha Palha, a media release said today.
This year's event finds high level of participation, attracting 12 top-300 WTA-ranked players, including eight ranked in the top-250 bracket.

The tournament has attracted players from 16 foreign countries, including Magda Linette of Poland (WTA rank 141), Kai-Lin Zhang (166), Zhaoxuan Yang (228), both from China, Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia (234), Japan's Riko Sawayanagi (250), Thai Varatchaya Wongteanchai (251) and Xinyun Han of China (275).
The USD 10,000 event, which had been held over the last four years, has been upgraded this year to USD 25,000 at the request of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association.
Ankita and the four wild card entrants apart, the other Indian players would have to make it to the main draw through the qualifying rounds to be held tomorrow and on February 22.

Apart from earning WTA points, the singles title winner would receive USD 3,919, the runner up would take home USD 2,091, the semifinalists USD 1,144, the quarterfinalists USD 654, the pre-quarterfinalists USD 392 and the first round loser USD 228, totaling USD 17,698.
There would also be points and prize money for the qualifying rounds.
The doubles winning pair would share USD 1,437, the runners up USD 719, the semi finalists USD 359, quarter finalists USD 196 and first round losers USD 131, making it a total of USD 4,706, the release added.