Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS): It was a memorable day for Indian tennis as one of the bright young players, Maaya Rajeshwaran, gave the event a brilliant start with an upset on the first day of qualifying for the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series at the Cricket Club of India here on Saturday.
The 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran kicked off her campaign in the fourth edition of the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series with a stunning win against World No. 265 Nicole Fossa Huergo of Italy. Maaya won 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, and has progressed to the final round of qualifying at the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series.
Maaya’s impressive form and tactical sharpness stood out as she battled her way to victory over three sets, sealing her win with a flawless final set. The young athlete’s abilities on the courts have not gone unnoticed, as she is among the few top talents who have been chosen from across the world to train at the Rafael Nadal academy in Mallorca. Maaya’s stint at the prestigious Rafael Nadal Academy began in January 2025.
The match began with Maaya taking control early, dictating rallies and breaking Huergo’s serve twice to claim the first set 6-3. Her strong forehand returns and effective service games kept the third seed on the defensive.
However, Huergo showed resilience in the second set, making adjustments to her game by varying her pace and attacking Maaya’s backhand. Huergo's aggressive net play paid dividends as she claimed the second set 6-3.
With momentum seemingly shifting towards Huergo, Maaya roared back in style as she surprised both her opponent and the spectators with an extraordinary comeback in the third and final set. She dominated the deciding set with a perfect blend of power and precision, winning in emphatic style with 6-0 scoreline without dropping a single game.
Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Mayaa's exceptional performance will help her earn a WTA Ranking in the coming weeks, which will make her the youngest Indian to achieve this milestone. The teenage sensation will now face Jessica Failla in the final round of the qualifying for the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series.
Krunic, Marcinko, Ibragimova advance
In other matches on the first day of qualifying at the Mumbai Open WTA 125 Series, Aleksandar Krunic of Russia, seeded seventh, demonstrated clinical efficiency as she dispatched Japan's Naho Sato in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3. Krunic's consistent service games and relentless baseline shots proved too much for Sato to handle. Second-seeded Serbian Petra Marcinko showcased her formidable form, comfortably overcoming Alicia Smith 6-1, 6-3. Marcinko displayed aggressive groundstrokes and smart court coverage, which kept Smith under constant pressure throughout the match.
Russia's Alevtina Ibragimova had to fight hard to secure her victory against Indonesia's Priska Nugroho. After dropping the first set 1-6, Ibragimova clawed her way back into the contest, finding her rhythm and winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-4. The match featured numerous long rallies and showcased Ibragimova's determination and stamina.