Tata Open Maharashtra | India no. 1 Mukund Sasikumar receives a wildcard in men's singles category
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The organisers of the sixth Tata Open Maharashtra secured India's participation in the singles main draw of the domestic ATP event, scheduled at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune from December 31 to January 7. India's No. 1 Mukund Sasikumar was given a wild card admission on Wednesday.
The challenging singles lineup this year has 17 top-100 players, including the previous Grand Slam winner Marin Cilic and last year's runner-up Emil Ruusuvuori. The 25-year-old player from Chennai will be the first wildcard participant.
"This is India's tournament and we are committed to provide a platform to Indian players, helping them get much-needed opportunities. We are delighted to give a wildcard to Mukund Sasikumar; he is the top-ranked Indian at the moment. I hope he will make the most of this opportunity and put up some impressive performances in front of the home fans," said Prashant Sutar, the chairman of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association and the tournament director of the Tata Open Maharashtra.
"Playing big tournaments like Tata Open Maharashtra always helps players to boost their confidence, especially when you compete against some of the world's best athletes. Mukund Sasikumar is one of India's talented players and this tournament has always encouraged Indian participation. It will be a great opportunity for him to showcase his game and get valuable experience as we have a competitive field this year with some big names," said Sunder Iyer, secretary of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association and joint secretary of the All India Tennis Association.
Mukund placed second at an ITF 15 event in Egypt earlier this month. In September, he won the ITF Future competition in Portugal, his first victory in five years. After making his debut in the third edition, this will be Mukund's second main draw participation at the Tata Open Maharashtra. The qualifying last year included the World No. 340.
Due to his participation in the qualifications, Yuki Bhambri will also participate in the singles. The renowned event will be run by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in collaboration with the Maharashtra government and is sponsored by Tata Motors. It is owned by IMG and managed by RISE Worldwide.
