Chennai Open | Yuki Bhambri to lock horns with Bernabe Zapate in first round
India’s top singles player, Yuki Bhambri has been seeded second for the Chennai Open Challenger and will take on Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles in his opening match. Apart from Bhambri, 12 more Indian players will take part in the singles main draw of the ATP Challenger event that starts today.
The tournament is scheduled to start at the SDAT tennis stadium in Chennai today and will see top-seed Jordan Thompson of Australia (ranked 103) take on Egypt’s Karim-Mohamed Maamoun in the first match of the round one. On the other hand, the 112-ranked Bhambri will try to gain some momentum ahead of the impending long season that also includes a Davis Cup tie against China.
Yesterday, three more Indians managed to win the qualifier matches and made it to the main draw, albeit in contrasting styles. Chennai-based Sanjeev Shanmugam qualified for the first round of the event when his rival Serbia’s Nikola Cacic gave a walkover owing to his illness.
Arjun Khade managed to beat Switzerland’s Luca Margaroli 7-5, 6-2 and will take on Saketh Myneni, who is returning from injury. Sidharth Rawat advanced to the main draw after compatriot Vishnu Vardhan conceded while trailing 4-1 in the decider.
Indian Davis Cup player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who has been seeded eighth in the league, will meet Spaniard Pedro Martinez in round one while fifth-seed Sumit Nagal will encounter Frenchman Antoine Escoffier.
The $50,000 event provides a chance to the Indian players to secure some valuable ATP points while experienced Bhambri and Nagal will be trying to secure the title in order to rise in the rankings.
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