The Doubles Main Draw for the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series is out. India's Rutuja Bhosale and Thailand's Peangtarn Plipuech are the top seeds. Other Indian players like Ankita Raina, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, and Prarthana Thombare will also compete.
The Doubles Main Draw for the fifth edition of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series was announced at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) on Tuesday, according to a release. India's Rutuja Bhosale is paired with Thailand's Peangtarn Plipuech as the top seed in the tournament, which will be played from 4th to 8th February at MSLTA.
Indian Pairings in the Spotlight
India's No. 4 and No. 5 Women's Doubles players, Ankita Raina and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty will be pairing up to face France's Leolia Jeanjean and Japan's Naima Karamoko. Meanwhile, India's No. 2 Women's Doubles player, Prarthana Thombare, will pair up with the 21-year-old Alevtina Ibragimova. The two will take on the World No. 75 in Doubles, Elena Pridanika, alongside Polina Iatcenko, who are the second seed pairing in the tournament.
Top Seed Rutuja Bhosale's Quest for a Title
Rutuja will be looking to go all the way in this tournament, having come tantalisingly close in her previous two tournaments: she reached the semi-finals of the Maharashtra Open and finished as runner-up in the WTA 125K Series in Jinan, China. Rutuja and Plipuech will be taking on Thailand's Mananchaya Sawangkaew and Argentina's Nicole Fossa Huergo.
'Unreal' Feeling Playing at Home
Speaking about Mumbai Open happening at the MSLTA, the 29-year-old said, "I have been playing at MSLTA since I was 10 years old, so to see a WTA event happening here, it simply feels unreal. It's extremely exciting to see venues like the MSLTA provide a platform for the growth of tennis in India."
Prarthana Thombare Aims to Go One Better
Last edition's Runner Up, Prarthana Thombare, will be keen to carry the momentum of her recent results into the L&T Mumbai Open. After an impressive 2025 where she reached the semi-final of the WTA 125K Series in Turkey and finished as runner-up in the WTA Newport, USA, she will be looking to make the most out of her home advantage.
'Joyful to be Playing in India'
Speaking about playing in the Mumbai Open, Thombare said, "It's very enjoyable and joyful to be playing in India, especially in Maharashtra. It's a very special tournament, it's my fourth year. It's great to be back in Mumbai for another editio,n and hopefully, I can lift the trophy this time."
Singles Stars Feature in Doubles Draw
Darja Semenistaja (the Singles champion in 2024), Mananchaya Sawangkaew (last season's Singles Runner Up) and Leolia Jeanjean (currently third seed in the Singles draw) will all be part of the doubles draw as well. Latvian Darja Semenistaja will pair up with Zuzzana Pawlikowska as they take on Japan's Hiroko Kuwata and South Korea's Sohyun Park. (ANI)
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