Palembang: Ankita Raina became only the second Indian woman tennis player to claim a singles medal at the Asian Games.
On Thursday, Ankita lost her semi-final contest against Zhang Shui of China in the ongoing Asian Games in Indonesia. The losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze medals.
In a hard-fought battle at the Jakabaring Tennis Centre, 25-year-old Ankita, India’s top-ranked singles woman player, went down 4-6, 6-7 (6). The opening set lasted 54 minutes while the second one went on for 77 minutes.
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Sania Mirza is the only other Indian woman player to have won medals in singles competition at the continent’s multi-sport spectacle.
Mirza produced her best show in Doha in 2006 when she claimed a silver. In the next edition in Guangzhou in 2010, she brought home a bronze.
So far, India has won 17 medals at the ongoing Asian Games with four gold, four silver and nine bronze medals.