PUNE, October 26, 2015
Taipei’s Chen Ti created the first upset of the KPIT-MSLTA ATP Challenger in Pune, as he ousted seventh seeded Yannick Mertens of Belgium to move into the second round alongwith top seeded Yuki Bhambri, Ramkumar Ramnathan , wildcards Sumit Nagal, Vishnu Vardhan, and qualifier Prajnesh Gunneswaran at the US-$50000-event played at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Complex.
On the opening day Taipei Davis Cupper Chen Ti ranked 206 knocked out the 183 ranked Belgian Davis Cupper Yannick Mertens 6-4, 7-6(0) in 1 hour 38 minutes to record the first upset and make it to the round of sixteen . In other matches top seeded Yuki Bhambri gave a lesson in tennis ousting wildcard Anvit Bendre 6-3,6-3 in 1 hour 10 minutes , while young Sumit Nagal had to face a testing time before overcoming qualifier doubles specialist Purav Raja 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 20 minutes. Vishnu Vardhan justified the faith of the organisors scoring a 6-4,7-5 win over Egor Gerasimov of Belarus.
Ramkumar Ramnathan came back from being 1-5 down to register 7-6(6),6-4 win in 1 hour 55 minutes against Spanish Gerard Granollers to move into the round of sixteen. “It was so tough, I found myself down 1-5 , but happy that I got back, it’s difficult playing a Spanish player, I’ve also played with Gerard earlier in practice in Spain” said Ramkumar after the match. In a match between qualifiers Prajnesh Gunneswaran got the better of Uzbekistan’s Temur Ismailov winning 6-4,2-67-6(6) in a marathon 2 hor 22 minute match .
Singles ( First Round)
[1] Yuki. Bhambri (IND) vs [WC] Anvit Bendre (IND) 6-3,6-3
Nikola. Milojevic (SRB) bt Michal. Konecny (CZE) 6-4,6-1
Chen Ti. (TPE) bt [7] Yannick. Mertens (BEL) 6-4 , 7-6(0)
[8] Alexander. Kudryavtsev (RUS) bt Stephane. Robert (FRA) 6-3,7-6(9)
[WC] Sumit. Nagal (IND) vs [Q] Purav. Raja (IND) 6-4,6-4
Ramkumar . Ramanathan (IND) bt Gerard. Granollers (ESP) vs 7-6(8-6),6-4
[WC] Vishnu. Vardhan (IND) vs Egor Gerasimov (BLR) 6-4,7-5
[Q] Prajnesh. Gunneswaran (IND) vs [Q] Temur Ismailov (UZB)6-4, 2-6 , 7-6(6)
