Carlsen's Freestyle Chess gets Fide nod

MUMBAI: Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi started off the match with an ace down the T. In that one big overhead thump of a tennis ball, she gave the first big indication that there were no nerves despite it being her first-ever WTA main draw match.

- Avishek Roy

There was plenty of more firepower on display from the 15-year-old on Tuesday, as she took on Iryna Shymanovich. An hour and 15 minutes later, the player from Coimbatore, who did not have a WTA rank till a few days ago, thumped another ace to score a 6-4, 6-1 win to move into the second round of the L&T Mumbai Open.

"I'm happy that something is paying off and all the hard work is not for nothing," she says with a smile after the game.

The hard work behind the scenes was well on display, as she unleashed her powerful groundstrokes to great effect against an opponent ranked 225 in the world. She demonstrated that attacking mindset particularly towards the latter stage of the match.

She clobbered a backhand down the line winner to set up a break point, and followed it with a forehand return winner to go up 5-1. Minutes later, she was through to the second round.

Maaya started the tournament as a wild card entrant in the qualification round. She made it clear that her immediate target was to make it to the main draw.

On Tuesday, she went a step further to move into Round 2. But the expectations have now changed. "Nothing is enough for me," she adds.

As far as the Indian challenge in Mumbai goes, Maaya, who from being unranked just days ago is now the world No. 916, will be joined in the second round by Ankita Raina and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty.

Raina had picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win over compatriot Vaishnavi Adkar, followed by Bhamidipaty's impressive 6-1, 6-0 win over Elena Pridankina.