Highlights
- Karman Thandi won the match in three sets.
- Thandi will next face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in round of 16.
- Bouchard won her first match in straight sets.
Chennai Open 2022: It was a dream start for the Indian wild card Karman Kaur Thandi in the Chennai Open WTA 250 tournament as she as stunned the French eighth-seeded Chloe Paquet in the round of 32. Thandi outclassed the French player in three sets by 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the SDAT Stadium on Monday. With this win, the 24-year-old Indian has booked her pre-quarterfinal meet with Canada's Eugenie Bouchard.
Thandi played a match of her life after going down in the first set against her opponent. She made a brilliant comeback later to defeat Paquet in 2 hours and 35 minutes. "This is definitely the biggest win of my career and it came in a 250 event. Even after losing the opening set, I had the faith that I could turn things around and the crowd support helped me a lot," Thandi said after winning the encounter.
Going into the match, Paquet was considered the favourite but Thandi displayed tremendous performance and kept fighting. She lost the opener set but was clinical in the next two sets. The second set was a closely fought one. She was levelled at 3-3 in the second set and broke the French player to go 4-3 up. Thandi wrapped the set by 6-4 to level the contest level. Paquet started the decider set on a high, winning the first two games. However, Thandi yet again staged a comeback to first level the things 2-2 and then the Indian didn't let things go away. She wrapped the set by 6-3 and emerged victorious.
The 24-year-old Indian will now face Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in the round of 16. Bouchard also made a winning start as she defeated Joanne Zuger in straight sets by 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 in 1 hour and 44 minutes. On Tuesday, September 13, India's Ankita Raina will also play her round of 32 matches against Germany's Tatjana Maria
