Bengaluru Open: Qualifier Hynek Barton Stuns Top Seed Vit Kopriva
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Synopsis
Qualifier Hynek Barton shocked top seed Vit Kopriva in the Bengaluru Open, coming from behind to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a thrilling Round of 32 match. The event, part of the ATP Challenger 125 series, is India’s largest international tennis tournament, with a prize pool of USD 200,000.
Key Takeaways
- Hynek Barton upsets top seed Vit Kopriva.
- The match lasted over two hours on Court 2.
- Bengaluru Open is India's biggest international tennis event.
- Barton came back after losing the first set.
- Indian players Manas Dhamne and Karan Singh exited in the first round.
Bengaluru, Feb 25 (NationPress) Qualifier Hynek Barton delivered a stunning upset at the Bengaluru Open on Tuesday, eliminating his fellow countryman and top seed Vit Kopriva in a Round of 32 encounter. The player from the Czech Republic rallied from a set down to defeat Kopriva with scores of 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a fiercely contested match that lasted just over two hours on Court 2 at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium.
Hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), the Bengaluru Open is an ATP Challenger 125 event featuring a prize pool of USD 200,000. This tournament is recognized as India’s largest international tennis competition, with the winner earning 125 crucial ATP ranking points.
Having recently partnered for a semi-final appearance at the Delhi Open, friends and compatriots Barton and Kopriva faced off for a chance to advance to the pre-quarterfinals. Familiar with each other's playing styles, they engaged in a tight first set until Kopriva took advantage of Barton's unforced errors to break in Game 7 and seize the lead. However, Barton flipped the match, breaking Kopriva late in the second set and early in the third to complete a remarkable comeback.
“We are good friends, so it was a bit nerve-wracking at first. He’s more experienced, I am the younger one eager to win—we anticipated it would be different, but we were both on and off during the match,” Barton noted after the match. “I played strong at the front, while he excelled at the back, and we matched each other’s style. In the third set, I managed to break him in the fourth game and focused on holding my serve, which I successfully did, making me very happy.”
“The conditions are perfect for me. I enjoy the heat and humidity; it helps me find my rhythm. I actually prefer it,” Barton added, having had a fruitful time in India, competing in various Challengers across the country since the year began.
The journey of Indian teen star Manas Dhamne in the Bengaluru Open came to a halt in the first round, despite his valiant effort against qualifier Petr Bar Biryukov. After losing the first set 6-3, Dhamne bounced back to win the second by the same score. However, he fell short in the tiebreaker of the third set against Biryukov's powerful serves.
In other matches, Karan Singh also exited in the first round, losing a tough contest to Jurij Rodionov with scores of 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3). The Indian qualifier showed great determination, pushing the match to a deciding set after leveling it, but the Austrian player held his composure in the final-set tiebreak. Meanwhile, wild card Ramkumar Ramanathan put up a commendable performance against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki, challenging the Japanese player in both sets before losing 7-6(3), 7-5.
In additional results, former World No. 17 Bernard Tomic staged an impressive comeback, overcoming a set deficit to defeat qualifier Ilia Simakin with scores of 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4. Tomic’s fellow Australian, the second seed Tristan Schoolkate, faced an early challenge but managed to prevail over Khumoyun Sultanov with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-3 to advance. However, the fifth seed and recent Delhi Open singles champion Kyrian Jacquet faced a surprising exit, falling to unseeded James McCabe with scores of 6-7(8), 6-1, 6-2.
