Sanaa Bhambri celebrated her acceptance to the French Open junior championships' main draw with a first round victory in the ITF Grade I tournament at the Astrid Bowl, Belgium, on Tuesday.
The 15-year-old beat Romania's Szatmar Agnes 6-1, 6-1 to earn a meeting with top seed Ryoko Fuda of Japan in the second round. Fuda had bye in the first round.
But the day did not bring more good news for India as Somdev Dev Varman and Karan Rastogi made their exit in contrasting styles in the boys' section.
While Rastogi was tamed 3-6, 3-6 by Malajko Alesky of Germany, Dev Varman, who too received a direct entry into the French Open juniors' main draw, went down fighting to Lachlan Fergusson 4-6, 6-3, 2-6 in the first round.
Sania Mirza, the main Indian hope in the Belgium event, is scheduled to play her match later in the day after gaining a bye in the first round. She is seeded No. 2 and wil face Sarah Raab of Germany, who beat Stephanie De Laet of Belgium 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.
Varman and Rastogi are also slated to play a doubles match later.
The Indians are using the Astrid Bowl event as a final tune-up to the French Open junior championships, which starts next week.
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