India’s campaign ends at PMRDA MahaOpen ATP Challenger 100 Men’s International Tennis Championships

Pune, February 23, 2024: Wildcard Niki Poonacha did everything right but win his match as he missed a match point to go down to seventh seeded Dane Sweeny of Australia in the singles quarterfinal match ending Indian interest on the event . The two favourite all-Indian doubles teams, top seeds Arjun Kadhe/ Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Ramkumar Ramanathan/ Saketh Myneni, were both defeated at the semi-final stage of the PMRDA MahaOpen ATP Challenger 100 Men’s International Tennis Championships, organised by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), on Friday.

In the best match of the day Sweeny can

Back from 2-5 and match point down In the third set end the challenge of Wildcard Niki Poonacha winning 4-6,6-2,7-6(3) in a 2 hour 5 minute match

Local favourite Kadhe partnering Nedunchezhiyan went down 3-6, 4-6 in just under an hour to the third seeds Dan Added of France and Korean Yunseong Chung

Ramanathan and Myneni, who were gunning for their third successive Challenger title in India, saw their 10-match winning streak grind to a halt at the hands of Australian pair of Tristian Schoolkate and Adam Walton 6-7 (6), 2-6.

In the singles There was disappointing news for Indian fans in the singles as wildcard Sasikumar Mukund who played brilliantly in the two rounds was forced to pull out of his singles quarter-final against third seeded Adam Walton due to a viral fever.

The walkover put Walton into the semi-finals where he will meet second seed Duje Ajdukovic of Croatia who is looking at making it to the top 100 . The Croatian ended the good run of Russian qualifier Alexey Zakharov 6-4, 6-3 in another quarter-final match . .

Also advancing to the semi finals was fourth seed Valentin Vacherot, who scored a 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over France’s Enzo Couacaud. Vacherot will take on the winner on seventh seed Dane Sweeny, of Australia In the semi final

Singles Main Draw Quarter-Finals

[2] Duje Ajdukovic (CRO) def. [Q] Alexey Zakharov 6-4, 6-3

[3] Adam Walton (AUS) def. [WC] Sasikumar Mukund (IND) walkover

[4] Valentin Vacherot (MON) def. Enzo Couacaud (FRA) 7-6 (2), 6-4

[7] Dane Sweeny (AUS) bt [WC] Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha(IND) 4-6,6-2,7-6(3)

Doubles Main Draw Semi-Finals

[3] Dan Added (FRA) / Yunseong Chung (KOR) def. [1] Arjun Kadhe (IND) / Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (IND) 6-3, 6-4

Tristian Schoolkate (AUS) / Adam Walton (AUS) def. Saketh Myneni (IND) / Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) 7-6 (6), 6-2