Chennai Open: Prajnesh Gunneswaran advances to third round

Chennai, February 7: Three Indians led by top-seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran powered their way to the third round of the Chennai Open Challenger 80 ATP tennis tournament in Chennai on Wednesday (February 6).

Gunneswaran beat Daniel Altmaier of Germany 6-4, 6-4. He broke serve in the ninth game and held confidently to capture the opening set. In the second set, he broke him in the very first game which proved to be the decisive. The Indian then held serve throughout the match with a great degree of comfort to close out the set 6-4 and the match.

Another Indian, 11th seeded Saketh Myneni beat Chennai-based N Vijay Sundar Prashanth 6-4, 6-3 to advance. Arjun Khade hammered seven aces to register an upset win over 13th seed Jose Hernandez-Fernandes of the Dominican Republic in two relatively easy sets 6-3, 6-2.

On Court 1, second seed Corentin Moutet of France was stretched for over two and a half hours by Luke Saville of Australia before the French man ran out a deserving winner. James Duckworth, the seventh seed from Australia, quelled Ivan Gakhov of Russia 7-6(2), 7-5. Brydan Klein of Great Britain upset 12th seed Maverick Banes of Australia in straight sets.

Four Indians will be in the fray in the singles event Thursday (February 7). Top seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran will take on compatriot Arjun Kadhe, 11th seeded Saketh Myneni will clash with Alejandro Daviddovich Fokina of Spain and Sasikumar Mukund will take on 3rd seeded Mohamed Safwat of Egypt.

Results:

Mens Singles Main Draw II Round:

Arjun Kadhe (IND) bt [13] Jose Hernandez-Fernandez (DOM) 6-3, 6-2

[2] CorentinMoutet (FRA) bt Luke Saville (AUS) 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-4

(4] Gianluca Mager (ITA) bt Collin Altamirano (USA) 6-3, 6-1

[14] Laurynas Grigelis (LTU) bt Nam Hoang Ly (VIE) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1

[11] Saketh Myneni (IND) bt [WC] NPrashanth (IND) 6-4, 6-3

James Duckworth (AUS) bt [Alt] Ivan Gakhov (RUS) 7-6 (2), 7-5

[6] Soonwoo Kwon (KOR) bt [Q] Alexander Zhurbin (RUS)6-1, 6-2

[9] Gastao Elias (POR) bt Blake Ellis (AUS) 6-2, 7-6 (4)

[1] Prajnesh Gunneswaran bt Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-4, 6-4

Brydan Klein (GBR) bt [12] Maverick Banes (AUS) 6-4, 6-1