Anika, Sharmal advance into second-round

Anika made a fine start to her campaign in the Women’s Singles as she demolished Mogolia’s 15-year-old Ariun-Erdene Erdenebileg in straight sets 6-1, 6-2.

Anika would now take on Zhang Shuai of China in a second-round game which is scheduled for today.

In addition, Sri Lanka’s Anjalika Kurera will meet Kato Miyu of Japan in another second-round clash today.

Meanwhile, Dissanayake also cleared his Men’s Singles first-round hurdle in style as he outplayed Fazeel Abdulla of Maldives in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.

Dissanayake will be up against Yasutaka Uchiyama of Japan in their second-round fixture today.

However, Sri Lanka’s Rangana de Silva made a first-round exit from the Men’s Singles event when he was beaten by Habib Hady of Lebanon in straight sets 2-6, 1-6.

In the Mixed Doubles first-round clash Sri Lanka’s Sharmal Dissanayake and Anjalika Kurera suffered a 4-6, 3-6 defeat at the hands of Sanjar Fayziev and Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan.

Sri Lanka’s Rangana de Silva and Anika Seneviratne also lost to Mohammed Talib Sulaiman and Fatma Talib Sulaiman of Oman 4-6, 3-6 in another Mixed Doubles first-round encounter.