Pune: N Vijay Sundar Prashant and Sidharth Rawat kept the Indian hopes alive by winning their respective encounters to advance into the final qualifying round of the $50000 + Hospitality KPIT MSLTA ATP Challenger, at MSLT School of Tennis in Balewadi Sport Complex, here on Sunday.
Seventh seeded Chennai-based Prashant fought off a spirited challenge from wildcard teenager Siddhant Banthia in a three-set Centre Court showdown 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.
Similarly, Sidharth Rawat, the No 5 seed, was engaged in a three set battle against Russia’s Shalva Dzhanashia (Russia). The twenty-four year old Indian began on the backfoot losing the first set, but recovered himself to force out a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win.
The day had one seed bite the dust when the huge 6’ 7” Croatian Borna Gojo put aside No2 seed Clement Geens of Belgium in straight sets.
The 19-year-old Croat, ranked 829 on the Tour, silenced the World No 419 Belgian 7-6, 6-3. Five other Indians Chandril Sood , Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan, wildcards Siddanth Banthia, Jayesh Pungliya and Lakshit Sood fell by the way side.
Top seeded Kaichi Uchida of Japan played out the shortest match of the day downing India’s Chandril Sood 6-0, 6-1.
In a battle of unseeded players, Timur Khabibulin (Kazakhstan) had it easy against Lakshit Sood 6-4, 6-4.
Results:
Qualifying Round two: 1-Kaichi Uchida (Jpn) bt Chandril Sood (Ind) 6-0, 6-1; 8-Alexi Popyrin (Aus) bt Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan (Ind) 1-0 (rtd.); Borna Gojo (Cro) bt 2-Clement Geens (Bel) 7-6, 6-3
7-N. Vijay Sundar. Prashanth (Ind) bt WC-Siddanth Banthia (Ind) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1; 3-Antonie Escoffer (Fra) bt WC-Jayesh Pungliya (Ind) 6-3, 6-1; 5-Sidharth Rawat (Ind) bt Shalva Dzhanashia (Rus) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; 4-Hugo Grenier (Fra) bt Matej Sabanov (Cro) 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; Timur Khabibulin (Kaz) bt Lakshit Sood (Ind) 6-4, 6-4.
