India No.1 Ankita Raina entered the singles quarter finals of the USD 25,000 CCI-ITF women's tennis tournament with a come-from-behind three-set win over Serbian rival Ivana Jorovic, here today.
The eighth-seeded Raina pulled off a hard-fought 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5) victory over her Serbian rival after a three-hour battle to keep India's challenge in singles alive at the Cricket Club of India courts.
However, India No.3 Natasha Palha went out after putting up a spirited display against fourth seed Tadeja Majeric of Slovakia in another pre quarter final clash.
Natasha lost to the world no. 211, after battling for four hours, 4-6 7-6 (10-8) 3-6.
The player from Goa, whose world ranking is 530, fought back from 2-5 in the second set, after losing the first set.
She first broke Tadeja's serve twice and then held on to her own to force the nail-biting tie-breaker and then clinched it to force the deciding third set.
But the efforts proved too much for her as Tadeja kept on hitting to the far corners to tire her out before clinching the set and the match.
Britain's Emily Webley-Smith upset fifth-seeded Belgian rival Elise Mertens 6-2 6-2 to make the last-eight.
Results (Singles)(Pre Quarterfinals): 4-Tadeja Majeric (SLO) bt Natasha Palha (IND) 6-4 6-7(10-8) 6-3; 8-Ankita Raina (IND) bt Ivana Jorovic (SRB) 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-5); 3-Marina Melnikova (RUS) bt Nicha Lertipitakinchai (THA) 2-6 6-2 6-1; Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) bt 5-Elise Mertens (BEL) 6-2 6-2.
