Seeds have it easy on opening day

Results were on expected lines. The opening day of the Zuari Garden City Open ITF women's event main draw did not throw any surprises at the KSLTA Courts here on Monday.

Direct entries for the main draw on court advanced with second seed Fatma Al Nabhani of Oman, eighth seed Xi-Yao Wang of China, seventh seed Nidhi Chilumula and Rishika Sunkara, the fourth seed from India being clinical in progressing to the second round.

Nabhani spent close to an hour on court in sending back Arthi Muniyan of India 6-1 6-2, Chilumula sent country-mate Dhruthi Tatachar Venugopal (India) packing 6-3 6-1 while Wang swept away Amrita Mukherjee (India) 6-2 6-3 and Sunkara did not allow Malayasian Theiviya Selvarajoo time to recover with a 6-4 6-2 victory.

Nabhani exhibited some sweet tennis, coming up with some lovely backhand slices and forehand passing shots. She was certainly on a different plane while on court which left her opponent mesmerized.
On the other hand Sunkara seemed brutal. She pulled off aces, spun the ball on gentle lobs and found the corners with the confidence of a Pro.

Theiviya, who fought back to back three-setters to qualify for the main draw was at ends against Sunkara's superior play. She did fight for all she was worth in the first set, but the effect of the last two days seemed to have got to her and somewhere through the second set, the Malayasian seemed to have given up as her shoulders sagged.

The doubles play too went on tune with seeded pairs going through.