Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale Finish Runners-Up at ITF W75 Lopota Doubles Event

Indian tennis players Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale finished runners-up in the doubles event at the ITF W75 Lopota after going down to the second-seeded pair of Martyna Kubka of Poland and Vendula Valdmannova of the Czech Republic in the final on Saturday.

The experienced Indian duo, seeded first in the tournament, were beaten 2-6, 3-6 in the title clash as Kubka and Valdmannova capped off an impressive week in Georgia with a commanding performance. Despite the defeat in the final, it was another encouraging run for the Indian pair, who showcased consistency and resilience throughout the tournament to reach the summit clash. For Ankita and Rutuja, the week in Lopota once again underlined their value as one of India’s most dependable doubles combinations on the ITF circuit. Both players have extensive experience at the international level and have frequently delivered strong results together, particularly in higher-tier ITF events.

Their campaign began with a hard-fought opening-round victory against the Israeli-Latvian combination of Lina Glushko and Daniela Vismane. After dropping the opening set 2-6, the Indian pair bounced back strongly to take the second set 6-3 before edging the super tie-break 10-6. That comeback victory proved crucial in building momentum for the rest of the tournament. In the quarterfinals, the top seeds looked dominant as they dismantled the Georgian pair of Ekaterine Gorgodze and Zozia Kardava 6-2, 6-1. The Indian duo controlled the match from the baseline while also displaying sharp net play, giving their opponents little room to settle into rallies.

The semifinal was perhaps their most clinical performance of the week. Facing fellow Indians Vasanti Shinde and Sahaja Yamalapalli, Ankita and Rutuja stormed to a 6-0, 6-4 victory to book their place in the final. The opening set lasted only a short while as the experienced pair dictated play with aggressive returns and quick finishing at the net. However, the final proved to be a tougher challenge against Kubka and Valdmannova, who entered the match high on confidence after an excellent week of their own. The Polish-Czech pair started strongly, breaking early in the opening set and maintaining pressure throughout with powerful serving and clean ball-striking.

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Ankita and Rutuja struggled to gain rhythm in the first set as Kubka and Valdmannova consistently won the key points. The second seeds wrapped up the opener 6-2 and carried the momentum into the second set. The Indians showed more resistance in the second set and attempted to extend rallies to disrupt their opponents’ rhythm. There were flashes of quality from both Ankita and Rutuja, especially during baseline exchanges, but Kubka and Valdmannova continued to hold the advantage with aggressive first-strike tennis.

At 3-4 in the second set, the Indian pair had a small opening to get back into the contest, but the European duo held firm under pressure before closing out the match 6-3 to lift the title. For Martyna Kubka, the tournament marked another successful week on the ITF circuit. The Polish player also enjoyed a strong singles campaign in Lopota, reaching the semifinals before adding the doubles trophy to her collection. Her partnership with the young Czech talent Vendula Valdmannova clicked well throughout the week, with both players complementing each other effectively in fast-paced doubles exchanges.

While Ankita and Rutuja fell short of the title, their run to the final remains an important result as both players continue to build momentum during the season. Ankita, one of India’s most accomplished doubles players in recent years, has consistently represented the country across major international competitions, while Rutuja has steadily developed into a reliable doubles specialist on the ITF circuit. The result in Lopota also reflects the growing depth in Indian women’s doubles tennis, with four Indian players featuring in the semifinals of the tournament. Younger names like Sahaja Yamalapalli and Vasanti Shinde gaining experience at this level adds further optimism for the future.

Despite the disappointment of losing the final, the week in Georgia will still go down as a productive outing for Ankita Raina and Rutuja Bhosale. Reaching the final of an ITF W75 event provides valuable ranking points and confidence as they prepare for upcoming tournaments on the international calendar.