Adil Kalyanpur awarded wild card for Bengaluru Open 2018

Bengaluru, November 8: Local lad Adil Kalyanpur had just won his first round of the ITF Kuwait F2 Futures event in Kuwait on Tuesday when he got a surprise call from the organisers of the Bengaluru Open 2018 that he has been awarded a wild card entry into the $ 150,000 Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger which gets underway from Sunday (November 11).

Strong field for Bengaluru Open 2018" title="Reigning Champion Sumit Nagal awarded wild card for Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger | Strong field for Bengaluru Open 2018" />Reigning Champion Sumit Nagal awarded wild card for Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger | Strong field for Bengaluru Open 2018

"I am thrilled to be getting the wild card for the Bengaluru Challenger. This kind of support from KSLTA is completely invaluable and I did like to thank everyone behind this decision," said Adil in a message from Kuwait.

Adil is the third Wild Card entry announced thus far with Suraj Prabodh earning the first spot when he won the Bengaluru Open Wild Card AITA ranking tournament last month and defending champion Sumit Nagal being awarded the second spot.

"I got my first ATP point in Spain at the age of 16 and have struggled physically during the past two years on the men's circuit. Now I feel I am stronger and better prepared mentally for the life on the Pro Tour, so this is a huge opportunity for me," said the 18-year old who has knocked balls with his idol Rafael Nadal at his academy in Spain.

Adil had made his mark when he had won the doubles title at the UK Under-14 Championship at the famed Wimbledon courts four seasons ago and also helped the Indian Junior Davis Cup team to qualify for the World Group in 2016. The Bengaluru born lad had trained with the Davis Cup team that played New Zealand in Pune last year.

Adil who started the year with a ranking of 1543 has climbed up 509 places and is currently ranked 1034 in the world. Reaching the semifinals of the Spain F13 Futures has been the high point of Adil's current year's performance. "I hope playing in my hometown Bengaluru brings me the luck I need to break into the higher world ranking," said Adil who has plied his trade mostly in Spain and a few Futures events in India this year.

"Clearly Adil was the best junior in view in the country who has graduated to the men's Tour. He deserves a chance at a bigger platform to push himself to bigger challenges and being Bengalurean, we hope he will make best use of this wild card that he deserves," said Sunil Yajaman, Tournament Director of Bengaluru Open 2018. "I am sure Bengaluru will find it exciting to watch this promising player," he added.

Source: Press Release