KUALA LUMPUR: Ainaa Amani outplayed Yasshmita Jadish Kumar in the first round of the US$64,000 Ace Malaysia Cup at the Curve Mall in Petaling Jaya today.
World No. 45 Ainaa, who won the ACE Challenger in September, won 11-8, 11-1, 11-8 in 26 minutes.
The 22-year-old will face China Open champion and world No. 19 Rachel Arnold in an all-Malaysian clash for a place in the quarter-finals.
"I didn't want to be overconfident against Yasshmita, whom I had beaten a few times.
"Yasshmita's coach (John Welton) from Bristol was here to support her, and I felt the pressure was on me.
"But I'm happy to play on the glass court (at the Curve Mall) and beat her in straight sets.
"I'm looking forward to playing Rachel. I beat Rachel in the semi-finals of the National Championships last year but since then she has improved a lot and won the China Open last week," said Aniaa.
Yasshmita said she only arrived from England two days ago and the jet lag affected her game.
Chen Yu Jie, who replaced the injured Joelle King of New Zealand, lost 13-11, 11-9, 11-8 to Hong Kong's Cheng Nga Ching in the first round. Goh Zhi Xuan also fell early, losing to Ka Yi Lee of Hong Kong 11-7, 11-4, 11-6.
Spain's world No. 143 Cristina Gomez upset Egypt's world No. 75 Nour Megahed 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 11-9 to set up a second round clash with world No. 39 Aifa Azman.