Top seed Yuki pulls out

Top seed Yuki Bhambri has pulled out of the AirAsia Open $50,000 ATP Challenger, dealing a blow to the event that will kick off at the KSLTA courts on Monday.

“I have played a lot of tennis over the last few weeks and have a few niggles. My body requires to recharge to play well in my remaining tournaments for this year,” Yuki said, after losing in the semifinals of the $125,000 event at Tashkent on Saturday.

Russian Ivan Nedelko has also pulled out, enabling Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan — who had been granted a wild card on Friday — to make the main draw. That wild card has been handed out to another Indian, Mohit Mayur Jayaprakash.

Meanwhile, in the qualifying action that started on Saturday, Christopher Marquis, Chandril Sood and Jayesh Pungliya were stretched before coming through the first round.

Results: Jayesh Pungliya (Ind) bt Niki K Poonacha (Ind) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3;  Christopher Marquis (Ind) beat Vignesh Peranamallur (Ind) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Chandril Sood (Ind) bt Rashein Samuel (Ind) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4; Prajnesh Gunneswaran (Ind) bt Ribhav Ravikiran (Ind) 6-0, 6-2; Lakshit Sood (Ind) bt Anvit Bendre (Ind) 6-3, 7-5.