Ankita holds key as India look to qualify
Astana (Kazakhstan), February 5
India’s top singles players Ankita Raina and Karman Kaur Thandi will have to punch above their weight when the battle to qualify for the Fed Cup World Group II begins here on Wednesday.
India are in Pool A alongside Kazakhstan and Thailand. Beating Thailand on Thursday is not expected to be a problem. The real challenge would be to upset hosts Kazakhstan on Friday. The have two top-100 singles player — world No. 43 Yulia Putintseva and No. 96 Zarina Diyas.
The winners of Pool A and Pool B, which has four teams, will clash to determine who will qualify for the World Group II.
Pool B has China, featuring world No. 40 Shuai Zhang and world No. 42 Saisai Zheng, along with South Korea, Indonesia, and Pacific Oceania. In all likelihood, China will top Pool B and it will be toss-up between India and Kazakhstan in Pool A.
Last year in New Delhi, Ankita, in her unbeaten singles campaign, shocked Putintseva but Kazakhstan would be favourites in home conditions this time. Karman lost to Zarina last year but is expected to put up a better fight now. Due to sub-zero temperatures, the matches will be played indoors.
Ankita recently won a $25,000 title in Singapore after playing the Grand Slam qualifiers in Melbourne. She is at her career-best rank of 165. Karman too looks a better player this year.
The two also won a WTA doubles event together and it won’t be a surprise if captain Vishal Uppal decides to field them together here too.
“We are taking one step at a time. Our first challenge is to beat Thailand. While Kazakhstan has a strong team, our girls are hungry to cause an upset,” Uppal said.
“We came early to get used to the indoor conditions. The ball is travelling slowly through the air but the courts are a little fast.”
When asked about Ankita’s win over Putintseva last year, Uppal said, “It’s a new year and different conditions. Having said that, Ankita is looking forward to playing her again and fancies her chances.”
Prarthna Thombare is the lone doubles specialist in the Indian squad, which also has two-time national champion Mahak Jain and former champion Riya Bhatia. — PTI
