Tennis: India's Raina inches closer to Grand Slam dream

India’s Ankita Raina inched a step closer to realising her dream of playing in a Grand Slam after moving into the third round of the Australian Open qualifying in Dubai on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old, the highest-ranked Indian at No.180, faced a stiff challenge from Ukraine Katarina Zavatska but prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes on Court 5 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

Ankita, who has never made it past the second round of qualifying at Wimbledon, French Open and the US Open, will take on Serbia’s Olga Danilovic for a berth in the main draw.

“I’m really happy to be playing the final qualifying round at the Australian Open and really looking forward to going to the main draw and taking the flight to Melbourne. Australia is one of my favourite places. So, keep supporting and thank you so much for following me and your wishes and support,” Ankita said after her match.

RESULTS:

M Osorio Serrano bt H Baptiste 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3); T Pironkova bt N Han 6-0, 3-6, 6-1; M Sherif bt G Min 6-3, 2-6, 6-1; Y Yuan bt E Bouchard 6-2, 6-4; W Osuigwe bt O Gadecki 6-2, 6-4; R Sramkova bt R Zarazua 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; S Errani bt G Garcia Perez 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; L Tsurenko bt L Pattinama Kerkhove 6-3, 6-2; H Tan bt C McNally 6-1, 6-4; M Hibi bt K Gerlach 6-3, 6-4; T Babos bt T Andrianjafitrimo 6-3, 2-6, 6-2; V Lepchenko bt E Perez 6-4, 2-6, 6-3; L Samsonova bt R Anderson 6-0, 6-7, 6-3; R Marino bt V Tomova 6-2, 7-6; C Burel bt A Kalinskaya 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; K Juvan bt A Kalinina 6-2, 6-4; J Lu bt I Shinikova 6-2, 7-5; E Cocciaretto bt M Benoit 6-4, 7-6; K Rakhimova bt V Golubic 6-2, 6-3; A Raina bt K Zavatska 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; M Gasparyan bt M Bolkvadze 6-3, 7-6; C Paquet bt Y Naito 7-6, 6-2; Y Bonaventure bt A Lottner 6-1, 6-3; O Danilovic bt S Vickery 6-4, 6-1; G Minnen bt V Cepede Royg 7-5, 6-3; F Jones bt J Fett 7-6, 2-6, 6-1; M Zanevska bt T Martincova 6-2, 6-3; A Schmiedlova bt C Muramatsu 6-4, 6-3; A Konjuh bt C Buyukakcay 6-4, 6-2; A Krunic bt D Seguel 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; V Savinykh bt G Gatto-Monticone 6-4, 7-6.