Delhi ATP Challenger: Somdev through, Bhambri and Myneni out

 Second-seed Somdev Devvarman of India advanced to the second round of the men's singles at the ONGC GAIL Delhi Open $100,000 ATP Challenger tennis tournament with a straight-set win. However, compatriots Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni were knocked out of the opening round here Tuesday after losing their respective matches.

Somdev, who is ranked 96th in the world, beat compatriot and wildcard entrant Karunuday Singh 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 27 minutes.

Bhambri suffered a shock 6-2, 5-7, 5-7 defeat at the hands of Frenchman Lucas Pouille in a match lasting two hours and 20 minutes.

Wildcard entrant Myneni lost 6-7 (4), 6-7 (4) to 181-ranked Italian Thomas Fabbiano.The first match of the day between Somdev and Karunuday, wasn't as one-sided as the scoreline suggests.

Karunuday, who is ranked 483rd, had four break point opportunities in the first set but failed to convert any. In contrast, Somdev converted two of the three break points on offer to take the first set.

Both players upped the ante in the second. Somdev, won 60 percent points on his first serve and returned brilliantly as well, winning 59 percent of the points.

Karunuday had a higher percentage of his first serves in but had little answer to the returning prowess of the higher ranked Indian.

Somdev converted four of the six break points to edge out his compatriot to set up a clash with the winner of the match between Ti Chen (Chinese Taipei) and Di wu (China).