Bengaluru, Feb. 20 -- On a sunlit Centre Court at the ITF W100 Bengaluru, India's Vaishnavi Adkar produced a performance that was part grit, part craft, and entirely captivating, as she overcame fourth-seeded Taylah Preston of Australia in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, in a tightly fought encounter lasting one hour and thirty-three minutes on Friday.
Vaishnavi came out with the confidence of a player who knows her game. In the first set, she dictated play with crisp first serves and a calm mind under pressure, hitting two aces and conceding just one double fault. Preston struggled to find rhythm, failing to capitalise on break opportunities early on.
The points flowed like a chess match - Vaishnavi moving Preston side to side, mixing pace, a...