Rutuja Bhosale loses opening singles in a crucial tie against Indonesia

DUBAI: Rutuja Bhosale suffered a crushing three-set defeat against an unranked Priska Madelyn Nugroho on Saturday to leave India trailing Indonesia 0-1 in a tie which the country must win to seal a historic berth in the Fed Cup Play-offs.

Up against the 16-year-old Indonesian, who is ranked 15 on the ITF junior circuit, Rutuja lost 3-6, 6-0, 3-6 in one hour and 43 minutes in the opening singles of the crucial tie.

India has never gone beyond the Asia/Oceania Group I in its Fed Cup history and now the team needs to win both the remaining matches.

Ankita Raina will have to bring India back and force a decider. The India number one, who lost her previous two singles, will take on the talented Aldila Sutjiadi in the second rubber.

Sutjiadi is ranked 370 in the world while Ankita is at a career-best 160. Agencies

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