Karan Singh Secures Spot In DafaNews Bengaluru Open Main Draw

Bengaluru, Feb 24: Karan Singh secured his spot in the DafaNews Bengaluru Open singles main draw following a compelling victory over fellow countryman Aryan Shah, with scores of 6-4, 7-6(6), on Monday (February 24) at the KSLTA Courts.

This win in the second-round clash of the qualifying event marks a significant milestone for Singh, who recently debuted in the Davis Cup for India.

His success over Shah, achieved in a challenging match lasting one hour and 15 minutes, underscores his resilience and skill on the court, particularly during the high-pressure moments of the second-set tiebreak.

The Bengaluru Open, a distinguished event in the ATP Challenger 125 tour, is celebrated for being the largest of its kind in India, with a prize pool reaching USD 200,000. This tournament, organized by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), not only showcases top-tier tennis but also awards the winner with 125 ATP ranking points, signifying its importance in the professional circuit.

Reflecting on his triumph over Shah, Singh shared insights into his strategy and the intense competition. "I was simply holding my serve and trying to put pressure on his serve. He (Aryan) served really well. In the tiebreaker, I had some chances, but he came back really well. At 7-6, he double-faulted, and that was that. It feels good to qualify, especially here in India, in front of all the people. The crowd is amazing and I am looking forward to the main draw matches," Singh expressed, highlighting the pivotal moments that led to his qualification.

In a surprising turn, the final round of qualifying witnessed the defeat of top seed Billy Harris, a finalist at the Delhi Open, who lost to Petr Bar Biryukov in straight sets. Meanwhile, second seed Ilia Simakin made quick work of Japan's Kokoro Isomura, securing his place in the main draw alongside Spain's Nicolas Alvarez Varona and several others. Indian hopeful Mukund Sasikumar, however, fell short of joining Singh in the main draw after being bested by Czech Republic's Hynek Barton in a closely contested match.

Tournament Director Sunil Yajaman expressed his excitement over the quality of play observed during the qualifying rounds and the anticipation for the main draw action. "The level of competition in the qualifying rounds has been exceptional, with several closely fought matches. It sets the stage for an exciting main draw. It's great to see Indian players like Karan (Singh) making the most of this platform," Yajaman stated.

"As we move into the main event, we anticipate even more high-intensity tennis, with a strong mix of international and homegrown talent competing at the highest level," Yajaman remarked, looking forward to the upcoming matches.

As the main draw commences, Karan Singh is slated to compete against Austria's Jurij Rodionov. His Davis Cup teammate, Ramkumar Ramanathan, is also gearing up for a tough match against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki of Japan, while young talent Manas Dhamne will face Biryukov.

The tournament has already seen some unexpected outcomes, including Nicolas Mejia's upset victory over fourth seed Elmer Moller and Rio Noguchi's win against Justin Engel. Despite these surprises, the Bengaluru Open continues to draw attention for its high-level competition and the platform it provides for emerging stars like Karan Singh.