Maha Open: Doubles Semifinals for Three Indians; Sultanov and Holt Progress in Singles Quarters
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Synopsis
In an exciting day at the Maha Open ATP Challenger, Uzbekistan's Khumoyun Sultanov triumphed over Bernard Tomic, while Indian doubles teams advanced to the semifinals. The tournament showcases a blend of emerging talent and experienced players vying for victory.
Key Takeaways
- Khumoyun Sultanov defeats Bernard Tomic to reach singles quarters.
- Indian pair Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth advance to doubles semifinals.
- Top seed Billy Harris delivers a strong performance with 14 aces.
- Exciting matches highlight the competitive spirit of the tournament.
- Indian representation continues strong in the doubles event.
Pune, Feb 20 (NationPress) In a clash of youth versus experience, Uzbekistan's Khumoyun Sultanov made a comeback to defeat former world No. 17 and Australian player Bernard Tomic, securing a victory of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the singles quarterfinals of the Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Men’s Tennis Championship here on Thursday.
The Indian doubles team of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth reached the semifinals and will face off against the duo of Indian Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Zimbabwean Courtney John Lock for a chance to compete in the finals. This event is being hosted by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in collaboration with the Department of Sports and Youth Services of the Government of Maharashtra at the Balewadi Sports Complex.
Top-seeded Billy Harris from Great Britain showcased his excellent form, firing off 14 aces to achieve a win over qualifier Hiroki Moriya with a score of 7-5, 6-3 in just 1 hour and 38 minutes.
Fifth-seeded Ugo Blanchet halted the winning streak of Kyrian Jacquet in a French showdown, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. After winning two consecutive Challengers in Chennai and Delhi, Kyrian could not maintain his momentum, appearing fatigued as he lost in a match lasting 1 hour and 48 minutes.
Sixth-seeded Brandon Holt from the USA, son of famed women's tennis player and former world No. 1 Tracy Austin, spent 1 hour and 18 minutes on the court, defeating Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg of France with a score of 6-4, 6-4.
In the most thrilling match of the day, the 26-year-old Uzbek Khumoyun Sultanov demonstrated solid baseline play to overcome the seasoned 32-year-old Bernard Tomic, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted 1 hour and 42 minutes. Having won 9 ITF Futures, Khumoyun secured his second quarterfinal spot at the Challenger event.
"It feels wonderful to compete here, and I appreciate the conditions. I played steadily, aware that Tomic is a tricky and experienced opponent, so I aimed to prevent him from having any opportunities,” Khumoyun remarked after his victory.
In a surprising turn, last week’s doubles finalist Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Courtney John Lock of Zimbabwe triumphed over the fourth-seeded Australian duo of Blake Ellis and Tristan Schoolkate with a score of 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 10-8 in an exhilarating quarterfinal match.
In the semifinals, the winning pair of Poonacha and Lock will face off against the all-Indian team of Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth, who narrowly escaped a match point to edge out Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 12-10 in a gripping encounter, ensuring ongoing Indian representation in the finals.
