A huge cry of ‘vamos’ echoed around the court while the fans, who had gathered to rally behind 15-year-old Maaya Rajeshwaran, looked on in disbelief. Soon, the silence was broken by a big round of applause.
Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann defeated India’s rising star 6-3, 6-1 to seal her spot in the summit clash of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125 at the Cricket Club of India here on Saturday.
The 27-year-old Swiss left-hander got off to a quick start and put Maaya on the defensive. She broke serve in the second game and dominated with aggressive net play and measured drop shots.
The Indian teen displayed flashes of brilliance, which included a stunning backhand down the line winner. However, she couldn’t keep pace.
Teichmann, a former World No. 21, jumped to a 4-0 lead and held off Maaya, who fought back bravely. She sealed the first set with a blistering forehand winner.
In the second set, it was one-way traffic as errors crept into Maaya’s game and the number five seed had no trouble in closing it out.
It was a campaign to remember for Maaya, who entered the tournament in the qualifiers after receiving a wild card. Thanks to her performances this week, she will break into the top 700, making her the youngest Indian to earn a WTA ranking.
Earlier, Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew outplayed the number two seed Rebecca Marino of Canada to enter the singles final.
Other results (Semifinals): Singles: Mananchaya Sawangkaew (Tha) bt Rebecca Marino (Canada) 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles: Amina Anshba & Elena Pridankina bt Camilla Rosatello (Italy) & Nicole Fossa Huergo (Itay) 4-6, 6-3, [10-3]
Published – February 08, 2025 10:50 pm IST
