Sunitha Rao

Last updated
Sunitha Rao
Sunitha Rao Albuquerque 2008.jpg
Rao at the 2008 Coleman Vision Tennis Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Country (sports)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States (2000–09)
Flag of India.svg  India (2007–09; Fed Cup and Olympic tournaments only)
Residence Bradenton, Florida
Born (1985-10-27) October 27, 1985 (age 39)
Jersey City, New Jersey
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Turned pro2004
Retired2009
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS$ 238,224
Singles
Career record196–188
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 144 (July 7, 2008)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open Q3 (2003, 2005)
French Open Q2 (2005, 2006)
Wimbledon Q3 (2003)
US Open Q3 (2007)
Doubles
Career record107–105
Career titles8 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 108 (May 19, 2008)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games 2R (2008)

Sunitha Rao (born October 27, 1985) is an Indian-American former professional tennis player, who represented India in international tournaments. She won eight doubles titles on the ITF Circuit in her career. On July 7, 2008, she reached her best singles ranking of world No. 144. [1] On May 19, 2008, she peaked at No. 108 in the doubles rankings.

Contents

Playing for India Fed Cup team, she has a win–loss record of 5–6. [2] Rao also is the fourth female tennis player in history representing India to enter the top-200 world rankings, after Nirupama Sanjeev, Shikha Uberoi, and Sania Mirza.

Personal life

Rao was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1985 and was raised by her Indian immigrant parents Manohar and Savithri, who were from Chennai. [3]

Career

2002–2007

Rao played her first WTA Tour match at the 2002 Brasil Open, where she defeated Vanessa Henke in the first round. She was beaten by Anastasia Myskina in the second round.

Rao played at the 2004 Korea Open where she was beaten by Miho Saeki in the first round. Rao participated at the 2005 Internationaux de Strasbourg, but was overpowered by Iveta Benešová in the first round. Then she played at the Sunfeast Open where she beat Neha Uberoi in the first round before falling to Elena Likhovtseva.

She took part at the 2006 Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic, where she lost to Angelique Widjaja in the first round. She also suffered a first-round defeat at the 2006 Sunfeast Open to Nicole Pratt. Rao defeated Sandy Gumulya in the first round of the 2007 Sunfeast Open to advance to the second round where she lost to Anne Keothavong. She then lost in the first round of the 2007 Challenge Bell to Alina Jidkova.

2008

Rao received an entry into the PTT Pattaya Open via a lucky loser spot. She beat Junri Namigata before losing to Ekaterina Bychkova. Then, at the Copa Colsanitas, she lost to Edina Gallovits in the first round.

Rao received the best result of her WTA career at the 2008 DFS Classic in Birmingham. She beat Petra Kvitová (who would be the future world No. 2 and Wimbledon titlist) in the first round and Naomi Cavaday in the second before falling to Alona Bondarenko in the third round.

She partnered with Sania Mirza, representing India in the women's doubles event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. [4] [5] They got a walkover in round one, but lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina of Russia in round two.

Rao announced retirement from tennis in 2009. She graduated from the Babson College in 2014 and works in the real estate business. [6]

ITF finals

Legend
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles (0–7)

ResultNo.DateLocationSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.February 24, 2002 Mumbai, IndiaHard Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Peng Shuai 3–6, 6–7(3–7)
Loss2.November 10, 2002 Mexico City Hard Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Olga Vymetálková 6–7(2–7), 3–6
Loss3.October 17, 2004 Mackay, AustraliaHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Evie Dominikovic 5–7, 3–6
Loss4.October 24, 2004 Rockhampton, AustraliaHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Evie Dominikovic0–6, 0–2 ret.
Loss5.July 8, 2007 Southlake, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg Alexa Glatch 2–6, 5–7
Loss6.October 14, 2007 San Francisco, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg Ashley Harkleroad 1–6, 2–6
Loss7.March 22, 2008 Noida, IndiaHard Flag of Latvia.svg Anastasija Sevastova 2–6, 1–6

Doubles (8–7)

ResultNo.DateLocationSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.January 18, 2004 Tampa, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg Milangela Morales Flag of Russia.svg Alisa Kleybanova
Flag of Japan.svg Mayumi Yamamoto		2–6, 4–6
Loss2.May 16, 2004 Charlottesville, United StatesClay Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Vilmarie Castellvi Flag of Argentina.svg Erica Krauth
Flag of the United States.svg Jessica Lehnhoff 		0–6, 1–6
Win1.November 14, 2004 Port Pirie, AustraliaHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Casey Dellacqua Flag of Australia (converted).svg Daniella Dominikovic
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Evie Dominikovic 		4–6, 6–3, 7–6(6)
Win2.November 13, 2005 Port Pirie, AustraliaHard Flag of Germany.svg Gréta Arn Flag of Australia (converted).svg Monique Adamczak
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Christina Horiatopoulos 		6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Win3.November 27, 2005 Mount Gambier, AustraliaHard Flag of Japan.svg Ryōko Fuda Flag of Germany.svg Gréta Arn
Flag of Russia.svg Anastasia Rodionova 		6–1, ret.
Win4.May 7, 2006 Charlottesville, United StatesClay Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Marie-Ève Pelletier Flag of Brazil.svg Maria Fernanda Alves
Flag of the United States.svg Lilia Osterloh 		6–7(6), 6–2, 6–3
Loss3.July 23, 2006 Hammond, United StatesHard Flag of Japan.svg Ryōko Fuda Flag of the United States.svg Christina Fusano
Flag of the United States.svg Raquel Kops-Jones 		6–7(3), 6–4, 1–6
Loss4.October 8, 2006 Traralgon, AustraliaHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Casey Dellacqua Flag of Australia (converted).svg Christina Horiatopoulos
Flag of the United States.svg Raquel Kops-Jones		2–6, 6–7(5)
Win5.October 15, 2006 Melbourne, AustraliaHard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Casey Dellacqua Flag of Australia (converted).svg Daniella Dominikovic
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Evie Dominikovic		6–3, 6–2
Loss5.January 20, 2007 Fort Walton Beach, United StatesHard Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Marie-Ève Pelletier Flag of Germany.svg Angelika Bachmann
Flag of the United States.svg Tetiana Luzhanska 		7–5, 6–7(7), 6–7(4)
Win6.June 2, 2007 Carson, United StatesHard Flag of South Africa.svg Kim Grant Flag of the United States.svg Angela Haynes
Flag of the United States.svg Lindsay Lee-Waters 		6–4, 6–4
Win7.June 17, 2007 Allentown, United StatesHard Flag of Japan.svg Ryōko Fuda Flag of the United States.svg Angela Haynes
Flag of the United States.svg Lindsay Lee-Waters		6–7(3), 6–4, 6–1
Loss6.March 14, 2008 New Delhi, IndiaHard Flag of France.svg Aurélie Védy Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Ji Chunmei
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Sun Shengnan 		6–2, 2–6, [4–10]
Win8.May 11, 2008 Zagreb Ladies Open, CroatiaClay Flag of Hungary.svg Melinda Czink Flag of France.svg Stéphanie Foretz
Flag of Croatia.svg Jelena Kostanić Tošić 		6–4, 6–2
Loss7.October 5, 2008 Troy, United StatesHard Flag of the United States.svg Angela Haynes Flag of the United States.svg Raquel Kops-Jones
Flag of the United States.svg Abigail Spears 		2–6, 0–6

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References

  1. ↑ Das, Rajorshi (October 7, 2021). "The disappearing players of Indian Women's Tennis". Sportskeeda.
  2. ↑ Sunitha Rao at the Billie Jean King Cup
  3. ↑ Sawai, Akshay (March 6, 2002). "Sunitha Rao: Indian promise from US". The Times of India.
  4. ↑ "India names 57-member squad for Beijing Olympics". IBNLive. July 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2008.
  5. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Sunitha Rao". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 3, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Net Gain: From Babson to Financial Freedom". entrepreneurship.babson.edu. January 12, 2022.

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