Ankita Raina's loss US Open 2023 final round of qualification ends India's campaign in singles

The Indian number 1 lost in straight sets against Mirjam Bjorklund from Sweden.

India’s Ankita Raina’s hopes of making her Grand Slam main draw debut in singles ended after defeat to Swedish 155th-ranked Mirjam Bjorklund in the final qualifying round of US Open 2023. The clash, which was initially delayed by six hours, lasted for close two hours and ended with a straight sets defeat for the 154th ranked Indian.

Raina started well but failed to hold on losing two service games in the opening set pretty easily. She did well to break the Swedish player on 2-4 but the latter broke Raina almost immediately and won the next two game to take the first set 6-2.

In the same fashion, Raina started well in the second set before bringing as many as four break points over the next two service games of Bjorklund, but unfortunately, she couldn’t convert any. Bjorklund, however, didn’t miss and broke the Indian to race ahead 4-2 before winning the next five games to close the set and eventually the match.

Raina, who had earlier defeated Miriam Bianca Bulgaru and Aliona Bolsova Zadoinov respectively, marked her second final qualifying round appearance in any grand slam. With her defeat, India’s bid to enter the US Open 2023 main draw ended as the other two Indians in the fray, Karman Kaur Thandi and Sumit Nagal lost in the first round.

Ankita served one ace and one double fault in the match whereas Bjorklund aced three times and didn’t double fault in the entire match. Ankita Raina will be next seen in the Asian games, starting from September 19.

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