Bengaluru: Defending champion Sumit Nagal along with Asian Games bronze medallist Prajnesh Gunneswaran advanced to quarterfinals at the USD 150,000 Bengaluru Open Tennis Tournament on Wednesday.
Nagal will meet compatriot Saketh Myneni, who also qualified for the quarter-finals. Another Indian, who stormed into quarterfinal is Sasi Kumar Mukund, who is pitted against Gunneswaran. The most enthralling match however was between Gunneswaran and German qualifier Sebstian Fanselow with the Indian prevailing 4-6 6-4 7-5.
Gunneswaran was initially not in his element but served brilliantly in the second set. He won most of the points with his powerful forehands. He broke Fanselow once which was enough for the Indian star to win the set and level proceedings.
The third set saw as many as five breaks of serve. The Indian was 2-4 down after making two consecutive unforced errors in the sixth game. But he served well to claw back, hitting four of his five third-set aces in his last two service games to clinch the decider 7-5.
Gunneswaran will face Mukund, who reached the quarter-finals after his opponent Blaz Kavcic retired hurt while trailing 6-7, 1-3. In the morning, though Nagal won the match against former British No 2 James Ward in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (4), it was not a cakewalk though. In another match, Myneni beat Egyptian qualifier Youssef Hossam 6-1, 3-6, 6-1. Hossam Tuesday had knocked out top seed Radu Albot in three sets.
Results Singles (second round): Sasi Kumar Mukund beat Blaz Kavcic (Slo) 7-6 (2) 3-1 (retd.); Saketh Myneni beat Youssef Hossam (Egy) 6-1 3-6 6-1; Sumit Nagal beat James Ward 6-3, 7-6 (4); Prajnesh Gunneswaran beat Sebastian Fanselow (Ger) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; Brayden Schnur (Can) beat Quentin Halys (Fra) 6-4, 7-6 (3); Aleksandr Nedovyesov (Kaz) beat Marc Polmans (Aus) 6-2, 6-4; Cem Ilkel beat Zizou Bergs (Bel) 7-5, 6-3.