All posts tagged: ITF

Government of Maharashtra and MSLTA announce 20 ITF tournaments in the state

Government of Maharashtra and MSLTA announce 20 ITF tournaments in the state

Published by Webster

After successfully hosting major international events such as the ATP Tour 250, WTA 125, and PMR Challenger tournaments for the past five consecutive years, the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, along with the ATP Organising Committee, has decided to expand tennis development directly to the district level in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA). Present during the press conference were MSLTA President Mr. Prashant Sutar, Mr. Sunder Iyer, Hon Secretary MSLTA, Mr. Ashish Sharma (IAS), Chairman for the ITF Tournament Initiative and Mr. Shravan Hardikar (IAS), Managing Director, MMRDA and Secretary for the ITF tournament initiative. Under this new initiative, a total of 20 international tournaments sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) – offering prize money of USD 15,000 and USD 25,000 – will be organised across various districts in the state. This initiative is expected to significantly boost tennis at the grassroots and district levels while providing Indian players with greater opportunities to earn valuable world ranking points and shine on the global stage. Speaking on …

Vaishnavi Adkar clinches ITF W35 Kalaburagi title

Vaishnavi Adkar clinches ITF W35 Kalaburagi title

Published by Webster

India’s Vaishnavi Adkar lifted the singles title at the ITF W35 Kalaburagi with a determined 7-6(3), 6-4 victory over compatriot Ankita Raina in the final on Sunday. Playing on International Women’s Day, Adkar produced a composed performance in a closely contested all-Indian final to claim the title, earning 35 WTA ranking points along with the USD 4,860 prize money. While Raina was awarded USD 2,637 and 23 ranking points. “It was a very good week for me, conditions were very tough and I just feel proud that I was able to push till the last match in these conditions. Since I was a kid, I have seen Ankita play at a high level. So, competing with her, playing doubles with her is a very big thing. I knew that she doesn’t leave the match till the last point. So, I just had to keep fighting at every point and I was able to do that,” Adkar commented after her victory. Third seed Adkar made a strong start to the match, striking clean winners from both …

Adkar and Raina set up all-Indian singles final, win doubles title at ITF W35 Kalaburagi

Adkar and Raina set up all-Indian singles final, win doubles title at ITF W35 Kalaburagi

Published by Webster

India’s Vaishnavi Adkar and Ankita Raina set up an all-Indian singles final at the ITF W35 Kalaburagi on Saturday and later combined to capture the women’s doubles title. The second-seeded pair defeated fellow Indians Akanksha Nitture and Soha Sadiq 6-2, 6-2 in the doubles final to lift the trophy. The champions earned 35 WTA ranking points and USD 1,762, while the runners-up collected 23 points and USD 895. Adkar and Raina win semifinals In the singles semifinals, third seed Adkar produced a controlled performance to defeat top seed Jasmijn Gimbrere 6-3, 6-2, securing her second consecutive final following her runner-up finish at the W100 event in Bengaluru. After early service holds, Gimbrere secured the first break of the match. Adkar quickly responded by breaking back and gradually took control of the rallies from the baseline. She moved ahead 5-3 before serving out the opening set and carried the momentum into the second set, breaking early and maintaining pressure to close out the match in straight sets. In the other semifinal, eighth seed Raina recovered from …

ITF W35 women’s tennis tournament in Kalaburagi: Vaishnavi Adkar in 2nd round after straight-sets victory

ITF W35 women’s tennis tournament in Kalaburagi: Vaishnavi Adkar in 2nd round after straight-sets victory

Published by Parlour News

Vaishnavi Adkar in action during the ITF W35 women’s tennis tournament at the Chandrashekar Patil Stadium in Kalaburagi on March 3, 2026. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI India’s third seed Vaishnavi Adkar headlined the opening day of the ITF W35 women’s tennis tournament in Kalaburagi with a clinical straight-sets victory over Indian wildcard Chevika Reddy Sama on March 3. The tournament with $30,000 in prize money is part of the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour. Adkar defeated fellow Indian wildcard Chevika Reddy Sama 6-0, 6-3 in the first-round singles match. She dominated the opening set, racing to a 4-0 lead and sealing it 6-0 with aggressive baseline play and a flurry of winners. Though Sama attempted a comeback in the second set and even secured an early break, Adkar quickly regained control, producing timely winners to close out the match 6-3 and book her place in the second round. Earlier, qualifier Laxmisiri Dandu put up a spirited fight against Japan’s seventh seed Michika Ozeki. Dandu stunned her higher-ranked opponent by taking the first set 6-4. …

Kalaburagi to host ITF W35 tournament in March

Kalaburagi to host ITF W35 tournament in March

Published by Webster

Kalaburagi is set to stage the biggest women’s international tennis event in its history with the ITF W35 tournament scheduled from March 1 to 8, 2026, at the Chandrashekar Patil Stadium. The USD 30,000 event, part of the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour governed by the International Tennis Federation, marks the city’s debut at the W35 level. The tournament will feature a 32-player singles main draw, following a 32-player qualifying competition that begins on March 1. A 16-team doubles draw is also part of the event, with main draw matches commencing on March 3. As a W35 category competition, the tournament offers significant ranking points and serves as a pathway for players aiming to compete at higher tiers, including the WTA Tour. Strong Indian and International Field Assembled The entry list includes players from 11 countries. Thailand’s Achisa Chanta and Netherlands’ Jasmijn Gimbrere headline the overseas contingent. The Indian challenge will be led by Vaishnavi Adkar, who recently rose to India No. 2 after reaching the singles final of the ITF W100 event in Bengaluru, …

Kalaburagi to host ITF W35 tournament in March

Vaishnavi Adkar finishes runner-up at ITF W100 Bengaluru

Published by Webster

Wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar finished runner-up at the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open W100 Bengaluru 2026 after a 0-6, 1-6 loss to Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel in the final on Sunday. The third-seeded Vandewinkel, ranked World No. 124, delivered a commanding performance to clinch the title in just over an hour. She broke Adkar in the opening game and raced to a 6-0 first set, maintaining consistent depth from the baseline and capitalising on unforced errors. In the second set, Vandewinkel secured another early break to stay in control. Adkar showed resilience by holding serve and earning three break points in the fourth game, but the Belgian saved them all and extended her lead. Vandewinkel converted her second match point to seal a straight-sets victory and earn 100 WTA ranking points along with USD 15,239 in prize money. Historic run for Adkar Despite the one-sided scoreline, the 21-year-old from Pune capped a breakthrough week. Ranked World No. 690 entering the tournament, Adkar became the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza to reach a major ITF Women’s singles …

ITF W100 Bengaluru: Ankita Raina fights back

ITF W100 Bengaluru: Ankita Raina fights back

Published by Webster

India’s Ankita Raina produced a determined comeback to kick off her campaign in the first round of qualifying at the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open W100 Bengaluru 2026 at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium on Sunday. Ankita Raina battled past Sofia Martianova 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in a gripping three-set contest to advance to the final round of qualifying. The opening set stayed even until 5-5, when a string of unforced errors handed Martianova the decisive break and the set 7-5. After a medical timeout, Raina returned with renewed aggression, breaking early in the second set and racing through it 6-1 with authoritative baseline play. She carried that momentum into the decider, absorbing a late surge to close out the match 6-4. Joining her in the final round were sixth-seeded Indian Vaidehee Chaudhari, who defeated wildcard Amodini Naik 6-2, 6-0, and ninth-seeded Indian Zeel Desai, who registered a 6-3, 6-3 win over Sonal Patil. Second seed Zuzanna Pawlikowska of Poland eased past Ashmitha Easwaramurthi 6-0, 6-4, while third seed Kristiana Sidorova recorded a 6-2, 6-2 victory …

‘Data is not steroids’: Why Carlos Alcaraz was forced to strip off fitness tracker device at Australian Open 2026 | Tennis News

‘Data is not steroids’: Why Carlos Alcaraz was forced to strip off fitness tracker device at Australian Open 2026 | Tennis News

Published by Webster

Aussie tennis greats slammed the Australian Open organisers after World No.1s, Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, were barred from wearing the Whoop fitness tracking devices on their wrists ahead of their latest matches at Melbourne Park. In his fourth-round victory over Tommy Paul on Sunday, Alcaraz was spotted wearing the fitness-tracking Whoop watch by chair umpire Marija Cicak, who proceeded to request the Spanish star to remove the device as it was banned at the tournament. While Alcaraz immediately obliged, the on-court exchange did not go down well with Whoop founder, Will Ahmed, as well as former Australian tennis players, Todd Woodbridge and Lleyton Hewitt. Ahmed responded to a social media post to criticise the decision to ask Alcaraz to remove the Whoop tracker. “Ridiculous. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety risk,” Ahmed posted on X. “Let the athletes measure their bodies. Data is not steroids.” Ridiculous. Whoop is approved by the International Tennis Federation for in-match wear and poses no safety risk. Let the athletes …

Rutuja Bhosale wins the W50 Lopota ITF Women’s doubles title in Georgia

Rutuja Bhosale wins the W50 Lopota ITF Women’s doubles title in Georgia

Published by Webster

India’s Rutuja Bhosale and her New Zealand partner Paige Mary Hourigan claimed the W50 Lopota ITF Women’s doubles title in Georgia on Sunday. The third-seeded Indo-Kiwi pair dominated the finals, defeating India’s Shrivalli Rashmikka Bhamidipaty and local favorite Alexandra Shubladze in straight sets (6-3, 6-2). The champions had a challenging path to the title, beginning with a hard-fought first-round victory over Iveta Dapkute and Darja Suvirdjonkova. The opening match proved to be a test of endurance as Bhosale and Hourigan prevailed 2-1 (6-3, 6(5)-7(7), 10-4) in a contest that stretched beyond two hours. Their quarterfinal clash against the USA’s Eryn Cayetano and Carol Youngsuh Lee of Northern Mariana Islands was equally grueling. After dropping the first set in a tiebreaker, the third seeds fought back to win 2-1 (6(5)-7(7), 6-3, 10-8) and secure their place in the semifinals. The semifinal encounter saw Bhosale and Hourigan face Lina Gjorcheska of North Macedonia and Ekaterine Gorgodze. In a match lasting 1 hour and 42 minutes, the Indo-Kiwi combination displayed remarkable resilience to win 2-0 (7(8)-6(6), 6-3), setting …

Manas Dhamne wins first senior singles title at ITF Monastir

Manas Dhamne wins first senior singles title at ITF Monastir

Published by Webster

India’s Manas Dhamne bagged his first senior men’s singles title, winning the ITF Monastir $15,000 event in Tunisia on Sunday. The 17-year-old Dhamne came from behind to get the better of Italy’s Lorenzo Carboni 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 in a contest which lasted an hour and 49 minutes. The Indian was broken in his very first serve of the match in the second game as Carboni raced to a 3-0 lead to start off. Dhamne did fight back to hold his next two serves, but he was once again broken in the eighth game as the Italian won the first set 6-2. Dhamne came out with renewed vigour in the second set, eager to hit back. He did exactly that, breaking Carboni’s serve thrice in a row to dish out a bagel. He won the second set 6-0. Dhamne carried forward the momentum in the deciding set, breaking Carboni in the first game. The Indian broke once again in the seventh game and held all his serves to complete the biggest title win of his career. …