Pune, Feb 23 (NationPress) Ilya Ivashka, a former top-50 player, delivered a sensational upset by defeating the top seed Federico Agustin Gomez in a gripping three-set match during the initial round of the Maha Open ATP Challenger 75 Men's Tennis Championship held at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium, part of the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul in Pune on Monday.

This tournament is organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in collaboration with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, alongside PCMC, PMC, and PMDTA, and is supported by the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA).

Ivashka seized control in the first set, winning decisively 6-1, but Gomez fought back, claiming the second set with the same score. The match culminated in an electrifying tie-breaker, where Ivashka maintained his composure to clinch a 6-1, 1-6, 7-6(7) victory after a grueling 2 hours and 25 minutes, securing his spot in the next round.

Japan's Yuta Shimizu showcased a strong performance, defeating Italy's Lorenzo Carboni 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. Meanwhile, Britain's Alastair Gray overcame Poland's Daniel Michalski in a hard-fought battle, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic also progressed smoothly with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph against Korea's Shin San-hui.

However, it was a tough day for the two Indian qualifiers, as Takuya Kumasaka from Japan beat S.D. Prajwal Dev 6-4, 6-2, and Tung-Lin Wu from Chinese Taipei achieved a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Digvijaypratap Singh in the final qualifying round.

Other qualifiers included Japan's Maks Kasnikowski, Masamichi Imamura, Yusuke Takahashi, and Malaysia's Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong. With numerous closely contested matches and a significant upset on the first day, the ATP Challenger 75 event promises even more high-quality tennis in the upcoming days as competitors strive for essential ranking points and the esteemed title in Pune.

Results (first round):

Singles:

Ilya Ivashka bt Federico Agustin Gomez [1](ARG) 6-1, 1-6, 7-6(7);

Yuta Shimizu (JPN) bt Lorenzo Carboni (ITA) 6-4, 6-4;

Alastair Gray (GBR) bt Daniel Michalski (POL) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3;

Duje Ajdukovic (CRO) bt Sanhui Shin (KOR) 6-2, 6-4;

Final Qualifying round:

Takuya Kumasaka [7] (JPN) bt S.D. Prajwal Dev (IND) 6-4, 6-2;

Tung-Lin Wu [2] (TPE) bt Digvijaypratap Singh (IND) 7-5, 6-4;

Maks Kasnikowski [1] (POL) bt Egor Agafonov 6-4, 6-4;

Masamichi Imamura [11] (JPN) bt David Jorda Sanchis [3] (ESP) 6-4, 6-3;

Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong (MAS) bt Tsung-Hao Huang [8] (TPE) 6-2, 6-3;

Yusuke Takahashi [10] (JPN) bt Alexander Binda [6] (ITA) 6-4, 6-3.