Karan Singh Triumphs in All-Indian Showdown at Bengaluru Open

Bengaluru, Feb 24 (NationPress) Karan Singh secured his position in the singles main draw of the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger tournament with a determined 6-4, 7-6(6) win over Aryan Shah in a tense all-Indian second-round match during the qualifying rounds held at the KSLTA Courts on Monday.

Singh, who recently made his Davis Cup debut for India in the World Group I Playoffs against Togo, exhibited remarkable composure in a nail-biting second-set tiebreak, finishing the match in just one hour and 15 minutes during this ATP Challenger 125 event.

With this victory, Karan has advanced to the main draw of India’s premier ATP Challenger Tour event, which boasts a prize pool of USD 200,000. The tournament winner will receive 125 ATP ranking points. This hard-court event is being hosted by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA).

Reflecting on his match against Shah and securing a spot in the main draw, Singh stated: “I was primarily focused on holding my serve and putting pressure on his. Aryan served exceptionally well. During the tiebreaker, I created some opportunities, but he responded admirably. At 7-6, he double-faulted, and that sealed the match. It feels fantastic to qualify, especially here in India with such supportive fans. The crowd is incredible, and I eagerly anticipate the main draw matches.”

The concluding round of qualifying saw a major upset, with top seed and Delhi Open finalist Billy Harris eliminated after a 6-7(4) 4-6 defeat to Petr Bar Biryukov. Conversely, second seed Ilia Simakin easily dispatched Japan’s Kokoro Isomura in just 48 minutes, winning 6-1, 6-1.

India’s Mukund Sasikumar was unable to join Singh in the main draw, succumbing to Czech Republic’s Hynek Barton in a tough 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 match. Meanwhile, Spain’s Nicolas Alvarez Varona clinched his place with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Hiroki Moriya.

Tournament Director Sunil Yajaman expressed enthusiasm about the caliber of competition in the qualifiers and anticipation for the main draw: “The level of play in the qualifying rounds has been outstanding, featuring numerous closely contested matches. It sets the tone for an exhilarating main draw. It’s wonderful to witness Indian talents like Karan (Singh) utilizing this platform effectively. As we transition into the main event, we expect even more high-octane tennis, showcasing a blend of international and local talent competing at the highest standards.”

With the main draw finalized, Karan Singh will face Austria’s Jurij Rodionov in the opening round. His Davis Cup ally Ramkumar Ramanathan will encounter a tough matchup against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN), while teenager Manas Dhamne goes up against Biryukov.

In the early results of the main draw Round of 32, Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia delivered an upset by defeating fourth seed Elmer Moller 6-3, 6-4, while Japan’s Rio Noguchi advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Justin Engel. Wild card SD Prajwal Dev exited in the first round after a three-set loss to Marek Gengel, while Blake Ellis moved forward with a (2)6-7, 6-4, 7-6(6) victory against Michael Geerts.

Selected Results:

Qualifying (2nd Round):

[7] Petr Bar Biryukov d. [1/Alt] Billy Harris (GBR) 7-6(4), 6-4; [2] Ilia Simakin d. [11] Kokoro Isomura (JPN) 6-1, 6-1; [6] Hynek Barton (CZE) d. [8] Mukund Sasikumar (IND) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; [4] Nicolas Alvarez Varona (ESP) d. [10] Hiroki Moriya (JPN) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; [9] Kasidit Samrej (THA) d. [3] Jacopo Berrettini (ITA) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(3); Karan Singh (IND) d. Aryan Shah (IND) 6-4, 7-6(6)

Main Draw (Round of 32):

Nicolas Mejia (COL) d. [4] Elmer Moller (DEN) 6-3, 6-4; Rio Noguchi (JPN) d. Justin Engel (GER) 7-5, 6-2; Blake Ellis (AUS) d. Michael Geerts (BEL) (2) 6-7, 6-4, 7-6(6); Marek Gengel (CZE) d. [WC] SD Prajwal Dev (IND) (2)6-7, 6-3, 6-3