A spirited show by Ankita Raina, an inspired win for Vaishnavi Adkar and a dominant display by the doubles duo of Ankita and Rutuja Bhosale helped India finish its Billie Jean Cup Asia/Oceania Group I campaign with a 2-1 victory against Korea on Saturday.
However, it wasn’t enough as it was eliminated from the World Cup playoffs race.
India had to win 3-0 and hope for a similar result for Indonesia against Thailand in order to finish in the top two. The 2-1 verdict meant India, with three wins and two losses, remained in Group I and Korea finished fourth. Fifth-placed New Zealand was relegated to Group II along with Mongolia. Thailand defeated table-topper Indonesia 2-1 and took the top spot by virtue of its win.
The 383rd-ranked Vaishnavi overcame Sohyun, ranked 276th, in an intense two-hour 17-minute battle marked by frequent breaks of serve, long rallies and a medical timeout by the Indian. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The 383rd-ranked Vaishnavi overcame Sohyun, ranked 276th, in an intense two-hour 17-minute battle marked by frequent breaks of serve, long rallies and a medical timeout by the Indian. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The 33-year-old Ankita, the team’s most experienced member, squandered opportunities to go down 1-6, 5-7 to Dayeon Back. Vaishnavi shocked the higher-ranked Sohyun Park 7-6(2), 7-6(5) to pull things level before Ankita and Rutuja sealed it with a 6-2, 6-2 win in 74 minutes.
After winning just one game in the first set, Ankita battled hard in the second. The drop shots that helped her stay in the contest also proved her undoing as Dayeon read them and smashed cross-court winners. Serving for the set at 5-3, Ankita lost the plot as her opponent reeled off the next four games.
The 383rd-ranked Vaishnavi overcame Sohyun, ranked 276th, in an intense two-hour 17-minute battle marked by frequent breaks of serve, long rallies and a medical timeout by the Indian.
The results:
India bt Korea 2-1 [Ankita Raina lost to Dayeon Back 1-6, 5-7; Vaishnavi Adkar bt Sohyun Park 7-6(2), 7-6(5); Rutuja Bhosale & Ankita Raina bt Dayeon Back & Eunhye Lee 6-2, 6-2].
New Zealand bt Mongolia 3-0 [Aishi Das bt Khongorzul Aldarkhishig 6-0, 6-1; Monique Barry bt Jargal Altansarnai 6-1, 6-2; Erin Routliffe & Aishi Das bt Jargal Altansarnai & Anu-Vijn Gantor 6-1, 6-2].
Thailand bt Indonesia 2-1 [Priska Madelyn Nugroho lost to Thasaporn Naklo 3-2, retd.; Janice Tjen bt Anchisa Chanta 6-2, 6-4; Anchisa Chanta & Patcharin Cheapchandej bt Anjali Kirana Junarto & Meydiana Laviola Reinnamah 6-2, 6-4].
Published on Apr 11, 2026