Chennai Open 2024: Ramkumar Ramanathan, Saketh Myneni clinch men's doubles title

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Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saket Myneni won the men's doubles title at Chennai Open 2024 ATP Challenger 100 event on Saturday (February 10) at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai.

The pair defeated compatriots Niki Poonacha and Rithvik Choudhary Bollipalli 3-6, 6-3 (10-5) in what was an all-Indian affair in the title clash. Ramkumar Ramanathan brought his experience into the light after the youngsters managed to keep them at bay in the first set.

Though Saketh looked a bit rusty in the initial part of the game, the Andhra Pradesh player combined with Ramkumar to engage in enticing rallies and level the second set with a 6-3 win.

A super-tiebreaker was decided with Ramkumar blazing some early inside-out forehands to gain an early lead at 6-2 and the experienced duo soon converted it to 10-5 to seal the title. Rithvik hit Saketh's cross-court return outside as all four Indians shook hands with the two seniors seen in jubilance.

"Actually to be honest the second set was 6-2 but this was the set closer for me regardless of the score because I had some big chances," Ramkumar told reporters after the final. "There were a couple of wrong calls which were clearly out but that's tennis. I lost a few points mentally, which I should have (won).

"We know each other for a while now because we played singles quite often in the last decade. It's always good to playing with each other and getting better. The partnership always comes from trust and how you enjoy yourself on court to get better to the next level," he added.

Sumit Nagal enters final in men's singles

Top-ranked Indian player Sumit Nagal continued his fabulous run in the ATP circuit. He confirmed his place in the final after a grueling straight set win 6-3, 6-4 against third-seeded Dalibor Svrcina.

Nagal nudged past the late injury scare to his right shoulder. A medical timeout helped him recover and pull the winner just after losing three games in a row. Nagal will face top-seeded Italian Luka Nardi in the final, which will be the Indian's eighth Challenger final. He last won the Bengaluru Open in 2017 on home soil.