JOIN USRamkumar sees off Sidarth test
The top eight seeds marched into the quarterfinals of the Sobha ITF Mysuru Open here on Wednesday.
Top seed Ramkumar Ramnathan was given a wake up a call by Sidarth Rawat who claimed the first set 6-4. However, Ramnathan, a Davis Cupper, shrugged off the setback to claim the next two sets 6-4, 6-2 to book his place in the last eight.
Karnataka’s top-ranked player Suraj Prabodh was perhaps the unluckiest player of the day. The Mysuru boy matched the big-hitting Vishnu Vardhan, seeded eighth, with some good strokeplay to claim the first set via a lengthy tie-breaker at 12-10.
The second set was interrupted by rain when scores were 4-3 in favour of Suraj with the games going on serve. On resumption of play after more than 90 minutes, the players made it 5-all. Suraj was visibly disappointed after serving and losing the first point in the 11th game. He, however, managed to take the game to deuce before conceding the advantage to the former Davis Cupper when severe cramps seized his left leg. With the physio attending to him on court and the time ticking, the second set was awarded to Vishnu after which Suraj made a valiant attempt to continue, but found it impossible and conceded the tie.
Results (prefix denotes seeding, Indians unless mentioned): Singles (II round): 5-Mohit Mayur Prakash bt Shotaro Goto (Jpn) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-1; 7-Vinayak Sharma Kaza bt Rishab Agarwal 6-0, 6-1; 3-Ranjeet Virali Murugesan bt SD Prajwal Dev 6-3, 6-2; 6-Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe) bt Lakshit Sood 6-4, 6-1; 2-Karunuday Singh bt Anvit Bendre 6-1, 6-3; 4-Sasi Kumar Mukund bt Rashein Samuel 6-2, 7-5; 1-Ramkumar Ramnathan bt Sidarth Rawat 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; 8-Vishnu Vardhan bt Suraj Prabodh 6-7 (10), 7-5 (retd).
Doubles: Quarterfinals: Bhavesh Gour/Sidarth Rawat (Ind) vs Jayesh Pungliya (Ind) 3-6 (match suspended); 2-MM Jayaprakash/Vinayak Kaza (Ind) bt Sagar Ahuja/Jatin Dahiya (Ind) 6-1, 6-4; 4-Chandril/Lakshit Sood (Ind) bt Rohit Bhatia/Maninder Singh 7-6 (2), 6-1; Jui-Chen Hung (Tpe)/Sasi Kumar Mukund (Ind) bt 1-Ramkumar Ramnathan/Ranjeet Virali Murugesan 2-1 (Retd).