Sunitha Rao
 Sunitha Rao at the 2008 Coleman Vision Tennis Championships in Albuquerque, United States | |
| Country (sports) |
 United States (2000–2007) India (2007–2009) |
|---|---|
| Residence | Bradenton, United States |
| Born |
October 27, 1985 Jersey City, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Turned pro | 2004 |
| Retired | 2009 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$ 238,224 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 196–188 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Highest ranking | No. 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 record | 107–105 |
| Career titles | 0 WTA, 8 ITF |
| Highest ranking | No. 108 (May 19, 2008) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 2R (2008) |
Sunitha Rao (Kannada: ಸುನಿತಾ ರಾವ್; born October 27, 1985) is a former is an American-born Indian professional tennis player.
She has won 8 doubles titles on the ITF circuit in her career. On 07 July 2008, she reached her best singles ranking of world number 144. On 19 May 2008, she peaked at world number 108 in the doubles rankings. Rao retirement from tennis 2009.
Playing for India at the Fed Cup, Rao has a win–loss record of 5–6.[1]
Personal life
Sunitha was born and raised by parents Manohar and Savithri in Jersey City, New Jersey. Her family spoke Kannada. Her parents are originally from Mangalore in Karnataka, India. Sunitha speaks some Kannada.
Her family now lives in Bradenton, Florida. Sunitha currently is staying in Boston, Massachusetts where she studies at Babson College.
WTA career
2002–2007
Rao played her first WTA match at the 2002 Brasil Open – Women's Singles event, where she defeated Vanessa Henke in the first round. She was beaten by Anastasia Myskina in the second round.
Sunitha played at the Hansol Korea Open 2004 where she was beaten by Miho Saeki in the first round. Rao participated at the Internationaux de Strasbourg 2005, 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.
Sunitha took part at the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic 2006, where she lost to Angelique Widjaja in the First Round. She also suffered a first round defeat at the 2007 Sunfeast Open to Nicole Pratt. Rao defeated Sandy Gumulya in the First Round of the Sunfeast Open to advance to the second round where she lost to Anne Keothavong. She then lost in the first round of the Bell Challenge to Alina Jidkova.
2008
Sunitha 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.[2] They got a walk-over in round one, but lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina of Russia in round two.
ITF Finals
Singles (0–7)
| Legend |
|---|
| $100,000 tournaments |
| $75,000 tournaments |
| $50,000 tournaments |
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $15,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in the final | Score in the final |
| Runner-up | 1. | February 24, 2002 | Mumbai, India | Hard |  Peng Shuai |
3–6, 6–7(3-7) |
| Runner-up | 2. | November 10, 2002 | Mexico City, Mexico | Hard |  Olga Vymetálková |
6–7(2-7), 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 3. | October 17, 2004 | Mackay, Australia | Hard |  Evie Dominikovic |
5–7, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 4. | October 24, 2004 | Rockhampton, Australia | Hard | Evie Dominikovic |
0–6, 0–2 ret. |
| Runner-up | 5. | July 8, 2007 | Southlake, United States | Hard | Alexa Glatch |
2–6, 5–7 |
| Runner-up | 6. | October 14, 2007 | San Francisco, United States | Hard | Ashley Harkleroad |
1–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 7. | March 22, 2008 | Noida, India | Hard |  Anastasija Sevastova |
2–6, 1–6 |
Doubles (8–7)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents in the final | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | January 18, 2004 | Tampa, United States | Hard | Milangela Morales |
 Alisa Kleybanova Mayumi Yamamoto |
2–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | May 16, 2004 | Charlottesville, United States | Clay |  Vilmarie Castellvi |
 Erica Krauth Jessica Lehnhoff |
0–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 1. | November 14, 2004 | Port Pirie, Australia | Hard | Casey Dellacqua |
Daniella Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic |
4–6, 6–3, 7–6(8-6) |
| Winner | 2. | November 13, 2005 | Port Pirie, Australia | Hard |  Gréta Arn |
Monique Adamczak Christina Horiatopoulos |
6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| Winner | 3. | November 27, 2005 | Mount Gambier, Australia | Hard | Ryoko Fuda |
Gréta Arn Anastasia Rodionova |
6–1, ret. |
| Winner | 4. | May 7, 2006 | Charlottesville, United States | Clay |  Marie-Ève Pelletier |
 Maria Fernanda Alves Lilia Osterloh |
6–7(6-8), 6–2, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 3. | July 23, 2006 | Hammond, United States | Hard | Ryōko Fuda |
Christina Fusano Raquel Kops-Jones |
6–7(3-7), 6–4, 1–6 |
| Runner-up | 4. | October 8, 2006 | Traralgon, Australia | Hard | Casey Dellacqua |
Christina Horiatopoulos Raquel Kops-Jones |
2–6, 6–7(5-7) |
| Winner | 5. | October 15, 2006 | Melbourne, Australia | Hard | Casey Dellacqua |
Daniella Dominikovic Evie Dominikovic |
6–3, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 5. | January 20, 2007 | Fort Walton Beach, United States | Hard | Marie-Ève Pelletier |
Angelika Bachmann Tetiana Luzhanska |
7–5, 6–7(7-9), 6–7(4-7) |
| Winner | 6. | June 2, 2007 | Carson, United States | Hard |  Kim Grant |
Angela Haynes Lindsay Lee-Waters |
6–4, 6–4 |
| Winner | 7. | June 17, 2007 | Allentown, United States | Hard | Ryōko Fuda |
Angela Haynes Lindsay Lee-Waters |
6–7(3-7), 6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 6. | March 14, 2008 | New Delhi, India | Hard |  Aurélie Védy |
Ji Chunmei Sun Shengnan |
6–2, 2–6, [4–10] |
| Winner | 8. | May 11, 2008 | Zagreb, Croatia | Clay |  Melinda Czink |
Stéphanie Foretz Jelena Kostanić Tošić |
6–4, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 7. | October 5, 2008 | Troy, United States | Hard | Angela Haynes |
Raquel Kops-Jones Abigail Spears |
2–6, 0–6 |
References
External links
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