New Delhi, Feb 15 (NationPress) In a thrilling display, M Sureshkumar, a 26-year-old last-minute entry, illuminated day 1 of the ATP Delhi Open 2026 by pulling off a remarkable comeback against 5th seed Lorenzo Carboni from Italy during the Men’s Singles first qualifying round at the DLTA Complex. After losing the first set, Sureshkumar rebounded to defeat the 19-year-old Carboni in a match lasting 1 hour and 53 minutes, with a final score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Later, Indian player Ramkumar Ramanathan, entering as a wild card, convincingly defeated Tsung-Hao Huang from Chinese Taipei in straight sets, finishing at 6-1, 6-3.

The Delhi Open, part of the ATP Challenger 75 series, offers 75 ranking points to the champions in singles and doubles, 50 points to the doubles runners-up, and 44 points to the singles runner-up.

The singles champion will earn $17,000, while the runner-up will receive $9,600. In the doubles category, champions will share $4,980, while the runners-up will split $2,880.

“I was uncertain about coming to Delhi as I got my entry at the very last moment. Honestly, I was not fully prepared since it was still unclear whether I would play. I had no expectations today because I knew he was a strong player and younger than me. I just aimed to play some good tennis,” Sureshkumar expressed after his win.

His performance showcased a gritty resilience, turning the match around after a slow beginning and taking command in the second and third sets. By finding his rhythm with serves, he consistently pressured Carboni, who struggled to respond. Once Sureshkumar gained momentum, he maintained the pressure, forcing Carboni into a corner to clinch the victory.

“I aimed to avoid any self-imposed pressure and focused on my game throughout. I’m pleased to have secured the win. My concentration was on my performance rather than his. I had a clear strategy to execute. As the match progressed, I began to identify his strengths—his backhand was solid, yet he made some errors on the forehand side. I adjusted my play accordingly, and it paid off,” the Chennai native remarked.

In other results, top qualifying seed Denis Yevseyev faced a challenging match but ultimately won against Mitsuki Wei Kang Leong with a score of 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4. Tenth seed Eric Vanshelboim also triumphed, coming back from a set down to defeat Sidharth Rawat at 5-7, 6-2, 6-2. Second seed Ioannis Xilas narrowly overcame wildcard Ishaque Eqbal before pulling away with a score of 7-6(6), 6-2, 6-3. Both sixth seed Luca Castelnuovo and seventh seed Alexandr Binda secured victories in straight sets against Parth Aggarwal and Udit Kamboj, respectively.

Third seed Hyeon Chung appeared sharp, winning 6-2, 6-1 against alternate Nitin Kumar Sinha. However, drama unfolded as Alexander Donski eliminated 12th seed S D Prajwal Dev with a score of 6-3, 7-5, and alternate Uisung Park shocked ninth seed Mukund Sasikumar by winning 6-4, 6-2. The victorious players will advance to the second and final qualifying round on Monday, where six spots in the main draw are available.