Impressive win for Sasikumar, Nagal bows out of ATP Challenger

Sasikumar Mukund defeated Sebastian Fanselow 6-3, 6-1

Chennai, February 6: India's Sasikumar Mukund outclassed German rival Sebastian Fanselow 6-3, 6-1 in the second round of the Chennai Open ATP Challenger 80 tennis tournament in Chennai on Tuesday (February 5).

However, Sumit Nagal, who is aiming to get his career back on track after a moderate 2018, suffered a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Korea's eighth seed Duckhee Lee.

Mukund played fluent, attacking tennis to subdue his German rival. He started strongly and held serve with an ace. Fanselow struggled but held serve in his opening game. From 2-all, Mukund won 12 of the next 13 points to go ahead 5-2.

The German held on to his serve after great difficulty to claw back to 3-5. Mukund then saved the only break point against him with an ace and thereafter went on to win the next two points to clinch the first set 6-3.

The Indian was at his best in the second set, securing a break in the very first game and began to find the lines with greater regularity. Fanselow held serve in the third game but Mukund was on a roll now and won 16 of the next 20 points played to record a straightforward win.

He will next play third-seeded Mohammed Safwat of Egypt in the next round. Safwat defeated Andrea Pellegrino of Italy 6-3, 7-5 in a clinical display.

In the another match, former Wimbledon junior doubles champion Nagal struggled to find his serving rhythm and Lee, a semifinalist here last year, broke Sumit thrice to win the first set 6-3.

In the second set the two players traded one service break each. At 4-all, Lee held serve and broke Nagal in the tenth game with ease to move into the next round.

In another match, Khelo India Games Under-21 winner, Manish Sureshkumar, a wild card entrant found the going tough against Brydan Klein of Britain and went down in straight sets.

In the doubles, Italian pair of Gianluca Mager and Andrea Pellegrino shocked the third-seeded Indian duo of Arjun Khade and Saketh Myneni in straight sets.

Top-seeded Prajnesh Gunneswaran will open his campaign on Wednesday (February 6) against Daniel Altmaier of Germany, while 11th-seed Saketh Myneni will face compatriot Vijay Sundar Prashanth. Arjun Khade will face 13th-seed Jose Hernandez-Fernandes of the Dominican Republic.

Results:

Men's singles:

Main draw: 1st round (Indians unless specified):

Luke Saville (Aus) beat Moez Echargui (Tunisia) 7-6 (9-7), 6-1;

Brydan Klein (GBR) beat Manish Sureshkumar 6-2, 6-3;

Alexander Zhurbin (Russia) beat Ricardo Ojeda Lara (Spain) 6-2, 6-4;

Collin Altamirano (USA) beat Kaito Uesugi (Japan) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(8);

Ian Gakhov (Russia) beat Dayne Kelly (Aus) 7-6, 6-3.

Second round:

Mohamed Safwat (Egypt-X3) beat Andrea Pellegrino (Italy) 6-3, 7-5;

Sasikumar Mukund (X16) beat Sebastian Fanselow (Ger) 6-3, 6-1;

Duckhee Lee (Kor-X8) beat Sumit Nagal 6-3, 6-4;