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Barring a brief struggle midway through the opening set, top-seeded Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty was otherwise on top of her game en route to the semifinals of the $15,000 ITF Mysore Open at the Mysore Tennis Club courts here on Friday.

The world No. 318 outplayed fellow Indian Akanksha Nitture 6-2, 6-3. Shrivalli takes on fourth-seeded Riya Bhatia, who came back from the brink to oust Smriti Bhasin 0-6, 6-3, 7-5.

The other semifinal pits American second Jessie Aney against qualifier Lakshmiprabha Arunkumar. While Aney overcame Pooja Ingale 6-4, 6-0, Lakshmi enjoyed an easy ride after third-seeded Elena Jamshidi retired midway through the second set due to food poisoning. Lakshmi won the first set 6-4 and was up 2-1 when the Denmark player called it quits.

Shrivalli began with a flourish, hitting winners off both flanks and getting her booming serves inconsistently. But from 2-0 up, her penchant to finish off points quickly, saw her commit a few errors that allowed her seventh-seeded rival to break back.

Akanksha, who has had more doubles success in recent times, then unsettled the top seed with a couple of clever drop shots. The two broke each other’s serve in the fourth and fifth games before Shrivalli took charge of the match by winning the next three games to wrap up the first set.

Shrivalli broke her rival’s serve in the sixth game with two great backhand down-the-line winners to go up 4-2 and then close out the set and match in the ninth game.

SOHA-AKANKSHA PAIR IN FINAL

Bengaluru’s Soha Sadiq and Akanksha Nitture powered into the final of the doubles event with a straightforward 6-1, 6-3 win over the Russian pair of Polina Kaibekova and Ralina Kalimullina.

The fourth-seeded Indian pair, coming off a splendid triumph at the Nationals a week ago, had lost just two games en route to the semis. Another rout looked on the cards when Soha and Akanksha took the first set in a canter at 6-1.

But they faced a little bit of resistance in the second when Ralina made a last-ditch effort to stay in the contest. However, from 3-3, the Indian duo took control of the proceedings, reeling off the next three games to set up a title clash with the top-seeded pairing of Jessie Aney and Riya Bhatia.

Semifinal line-up: Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty vs Riya Bhatia; Jessie Aney (USA) vs Lakshmiprabha Arunkumar.

Results (Prefix denotes seeding, Indians unless mentioned):

Singles (Quarters): 1-Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty bt Akanksha Nitture 6-2, 6-3; 4-Riya Bhatia bt Smriti Bhasin 0-6, 6-3, 7-5; 2-Jessie Aney (USA) bt Poona Ingale 6-4, 6-0; Lakshmiprabha Arunkumar bt 3-Elena Jamshidi (Den) 6-4, 2-1 (retd).

Doubles (Semis): 4-Soha Sadiq/ Akanksha Nitture bt Polina Kaibekova/ Ralina Kalimullina (Rus) 6-1, 6-3; 1-Jessie Aney (USA)/ Riya Bhatia bt Diva Bhatia/ Sai Samhitha 6-2, 6-0.

CAPTION: PIX-1: Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty makes a two-handed backhand return during her straight-set win over Akanksha Nitture in the quarterfinals at the ITF Mysore Open on Friday.

PIX-2: Riya Bhatia makes a lunging return during her three-set win over fellow Indian Smriti Bhasin in the quarterfinals at the ITF Mysore Open on Friday.

PIX-3: Second-seeded American Jessie Aney in action against Pooja Ingale in the quarterfinals at the ITF Mysore Open on Friday.

PIX-4: National doubles champions Soha Sadiq (left) and Akanksha Nitture celebrate a point during their doubles semifinal win over Russia’s Polina Kaibekova and Ralina Kalimullina at the ITF Mysore Open on Friday.