Maaya powers into 2nd round

Maaya Rajeshwaran 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.

- Shahid Judge

MUMBAI:

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.