Sunitha lone Indian survivor

Sunitha Rao was the lone Indian girl who survived through the first round of the qualifying matches for the USD 600,000 WTA Bangalore Open on Saturday.

Sunitha overcame a stiff challenge from Russian Vesna Manasieva with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 win at the Kantaka State Lawn Tennis Association Stadium.

However, the other four Indians -- the Bhambri sisters, Ankita and Saana, Rushmi Chakravarthi and Akshitha Basavaraju -- were outplayed by better placed foreign rivals.

Saana did her best in extending her Austrian rival Monique Adamczak in the match that went the full distance, while her other three compatriots lost out in straight sets.