{image-sunitha rao_02032008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Bangalore, Mar 2: Sunitha Rao was the lone Indian girl who survived through the first round of the qualifying matches for the 600,000 Dollar WTA Bangalore Open which began at KSLTA stadium here today.

Sunitha exhibited a fine fighting spirit as she overcame a stiff challenge from Russian Vesna Manasieva with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 win.
However, the other four Indians -- the Bhambri sisters, Ankita and Saana, Rushmi Chakravarthi and Akshitha Basavaraju made the exit to their better placed foreign rivals. Saana did her best in extending her Austrian rival Monique Adamczak in the match that went full distance, while her other three compatriots lost out in straight sets in the first round qualifiers.

UNI