ITF Dharwad Men's World Tennis Tour 2023 begins October 17; Ramanathan seeded fourth - Full List of Players Competing

Dharwad, Oct 16: Dharwad, a town renowned for its delectable sweet delicacy, Pedha, is set to become the epicenter of sporting excitement as it hosts the prestigious ITF Dharwad Men's World Tennis Tour event.

This eagerly awaited competition kicks off its main rounds at the Dharwad District Lawn Tennis Association courts on Tuesday (October 17). With a substantial prize purse of US $25,000, this event attracts a remarkably talented cadre of players, each brimming with determination and readiness to vie for tennis glory.

ITF Dharwad Men's World Tennis Tour 2023 Format

Furthermore, the tournament stands as the first of four international tennis events in the state of Karnataka, all conducted under the banner of the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA).

Subsequently, the action will shift to the Men's tournament in Davanagere, marking the association's dedication to spreading the love of tennis to smaller towns and less conventional venues.

Dharwad Men's World Tennis Tour 2023 Draw Ceremony Results

The event's draw ceremony witnessed the presence of esteemed dignitaries and notable tennis figures. Mr Gurudutta Hegde, the District Commissioner of Dharwad and the President of Dharwad District Lawn Tennis Association (DDLTA), graced the occasion as the chief guest.

He was joined by Mr Santosh Biradar, Chairman of the Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority, Mr Sandeep Banavi, the Honorary Secretary of DDLTA, Tournament Director GR Amarnath, ITF Supervisor Puneet Gupta, and India's acclaimed players, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Purav Raja, and Digvijay Singh.

Expressing his enthusiasm for hosting the ITF 25K event, Mr Hegde remarked, "We are delighted to be hosting an ITF 25K event in Dharwad, and it's an honor to be the starting point for this series of international tennis tournaments in Karnataka.

"We have not left any stone unturned to ensure that all our facilities are in place. We can't wait to see the players, both the Indian and international players, in action and fans from all over to experience the thrill of professional tennis."

He highlighted the broader significance of these tournaments, underscoring their pivotal role in nurturing the talent of budding tennis players in the region.

"In addition to the sporting spectacle, these tournaments will provide a fantastic opportunity for young and aspiring tennis players in the region to witness top-class tennis, learn from the best, and be inspired to follow their dreams," added Mr Hegde.

The tournament's top seed is Nick Chappell from the USA, while India's own Digvijay Singh and the Asian Games 2022 Silver medalist and Indian Davis Cup team member, Ramkumar Ramanathan, are seeded third and fourth, respectively. The second seed in the competition is Bogdan Bobrov.

While four players have successfully secured their spots in the main draw, bad weather conditions, including rain and poor light, necessitated the postponement of the remaining four qualifying matches to the following day. Consequently, the main draw commences with the participation of these eight qualifiers.

The ITF 25K Dharwad Tournament promises a week filled with thrilling and intense rallies, remarkable serves, and jaw-dropping shots, ensuring that it's an event no tennis enthusiast can afford to miss. Tennis lovers can anticipate world-class action and unforgettable moments as the competition unfolds on the courts of Dharwad.

ITF Dharwad Men's World Tennis Tour 2023 Seedings & Results

Seedings: 1-Nick Chappell (USA); 2-Bogdan Bobrov; 3-Digvijay Singh (IND); 4-Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND); 5-Kazuki Nishiwaki; 6-Florent Bax (FRA); 7-Sidharth Rawat (IND); 8-SD Prajwal Dev (IND). (All Indians except mentioned in brackets; Seedings in pre-fix)

Final qualifying round results: 1-Vishnu Vardhan Vs. 11-Madhwin Kamath 4-4 (unfinished); 2-Luke Sorensen (AUS) bt 13-Rohan Mehra 6-3, 7-5; 3-Faisal Qamar bt 12-Ha Minh Duc Vu (VIE) 6-3, 7-5; 9-Enrico Giacomini (ITA) bt 4-Jack Karlsson Wistrand (SWE) 6-4, 1-6, 10-6;

5-Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan Vs. 10-Kabir Hans (postponed); Suraj R Prabodh Vs. 14-Yash Yadav (Postponed); Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam Vs. Tushar Madan 1-1 (unfinished); 16-Jagmeet Singh bt Dharmil Shah 7-6 (9), 6-4.

Round-1 Qualifiers: 14-Yash Yadav bt Mukil Ramanan 6-1, 6-3; 10-Kabir Hans bt Neeraj Yashpaul 6-2, 6-1; 16-Jagmeet Singh bt Thijmen Loof (NED) 6-4, 1-1 (retd); Dharmil Shah bt 8-Mattias Southcombe (GBR) 6-1, 6-2; Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam bt 7-Chirag Duhan 7-5, 6-4; Tushar Madan bt 15-Sandesh Dattatray Kurale 7-6 (4), 6-2; bt Anurag Agarwal 6-4, 6-2.