Category: Tennis

by Abhishek Shukla

Budding players rub shoulders with top ATP Stars at DafaNews Bengaluru Open Tennis Clinic

Bengaluru, February 16: It was an experience worth cherishing for the 60 budding players who got to pick the brains of some of the top tennis stars participating in the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 here during a special clinic organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association on Friday.

India’s Davis Cup member Saketh Myneni, Oriol Roco Batalla of Spain and Frenchman Constantin B Kouzmine along with the coaches of the players in action this week in Bengaluru, had a hit with these players and shared tips on how to improve their game with a focus on how to up their game.

“It’s always fun to interact with so many kids and I am very happy to see so many young kids come out and play tennis,” said Myneni.

Harshini N, a top ranked Under-18 player from Karnataka who is also playing on the ITF circuit, was understandably elated to get a chance to play with the top players. “I got to ask them a few questions. It was a wonderful experience,” she added.

DafaNews Bengaluru Open is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA). The ATP Challenger event began on February 12 and will conclude on February 18.

by Abhishek Shukla

Eurosport to telecast DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 live from quarter-finals

Bengaluru, February 15, 2024: Fans across India, Asia and Europe can now catch all the exciting tennis action from the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 as it will be telecasted live on Eurosport from quarter-finals, starting on Friday.

The prestigious ATP Challenger event is being organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) at the KSLTA Stadium in Bengaluru with the final scheduled on Sunday.

The live telecast will offer an opportunity to fans not only in India and Asia but also in Europe to enjoy the thrilling action from the tournament which has been witnessing participation of top global stars including India’s top-ranked singles player Sumit Nagal, who recently broke into the top-100 of the ATP rankings, former World No. 25 Canada’s Vasek Pospisil and Coleman Wong—the highest-ranked Hong Kong male tennis player in history.

“The ongoing sixth edition of DafaNews Bengaluru Open has been witnessing high-voltage competition with the presence of players from 22 countries and we are delighted to announce that the fans can now feel the excitement and intensity of the tournament right from their living rooms as live telecast will be available on Eurosport from Friday. The expert commentary will add depth and insight, enhancing viewing experience and I hope this will help us to take the sport to every corner of the country as well as other parts of the world,” commented Tournament Director Sunil Yajaman.

One of premium sports channels, Eurosport will be broadcasting the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 and has also telecasted some of world’s top sports competitions in the past including Formula One and ATP Tour 250.

Tickets are available

Fans can avail offline tickets from the box office at KSLTA Stadium with the price ranging from ₹150 to ₹1000. Tickets are also available online on https://in.ticketgenie.in/Events/Bengaluru-Open-2024.

by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Ramkumar upsets top seed Nardi to reach quarter-finals at DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024

Bengaluru, February 14, 2024: India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan fought back impressively after losing the opening set to upset top seed Luca Nardi of Italy to reach the singles quarter-finals of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 being played at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Stadium on Wednesday.

Ramkumar, who has been given a wild card for this tournament, looked down and out after the opening set but banked on his big serves to beat Nardi 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 33 minutes in the second-round clash at Centre Court.

In the day’s other matches, Maks Kasnikowski of Poland upset fourth seed Benjamin Bonzi of France 6-3, 6-4 in the second round while another Indian SD Prajwal Dev suffered a  3-6, 0-6 loss against fifth seed Adam Walton of Australia in a first-round encounter.

The prestigious ATP Challenger event is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association with the final scheduled on Sunday.

Earlier, Ramkumar kept his nerves when things were not going his way to register the biggest upset of the day.

In the opening set, Ramkumar struggled to find his serving rhythm and that also affected his returning ability as Nardi raced through.

However, the big serving Indian regrouped at the start of the second set and won 93% first serve points and never even faced a break point in the set. In contrast, Nardi’s serve was put under regular pressure to take the match in the decider.

The final set followed a similar pattern with Ramkumar coming up with five aces and even raising his second serve percentage to wrap up the match.

He will now face the winner of the match between ninth seed Seongchan Hong of South Korea and Russian qualifier Alexey Zakharov.

ENDS

Key Results:
Singles: WC- Ramkumar Ramanathan (Ind) bt 1-Luca Nardi (Ita) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4; 8- Oriol Roca Batalla (ESP) bt Tristan Boyer (USA) 7-5, 6-3; Maks Kasnikowski (Pol) bt 4- Benjamin Bonzi (Fra) 6-3, 6-4;  S D Prajwal Dev (Ind) lost to 5-Adam Walton (Aus) 3-6; 0-6;

by Abhishek Shukla

Ramkumar kicks off Indian challenge on winning note at the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024

Bengaluru, February 12,2024: Wild card Ramkumar Ramanathan fought back from a set down to pack off Frenchman Maxime Janvier 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 being played at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium here on Monday.

The 29-year-old Indian kept his nerves despite his serve being put under pressure in the opening two sets by his higher ranked opponent to pull off a sensational victory in two hours and 26 minutes to give the home crowd a lot to cheer.

Also biting the dust on the opening day of the main draw was Croatian third seed Duje Ajdukovic, who went down against Tunisia’s Moez Echargui 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 30 minutes.

But the main attraction of the opening day was clearly the show off between Ramkumar and Janvier and the former rode on home support to make a winning start to his campaign.

The opening set was a neck-and-neck battle with Janvier relying on his first serve percentage to put pressure on the Indian and pocketed the first set through a tiebreaker.

Ramkumar was again under pressure in the second set and managed to save four break points and then broke Janvier in the 11th game before wrapping the set in the next to force a decider.

With the momentum in his favour, the Indian then broke Janvier early in the third set and then held on to his service games to wrap up the match.

He will now face the winner of the match between top seed Luca Nardi of Italy and Lucky Loser Dan Added of France.s

DafaNews Bengaluru Open is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA). The ATP Challenger event began on January 12 and will conclude on January 19.

Results
Main draw: Ramkumar Ramanathan (Ind) bt Maxime Janvier (Fra) 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4; Moez Echargui (Tun) bt 3-Duje Ajdukovic (Cro) 6-2, 6-4; Gauthier Onclin (Bel) bt Giovanni Fonio (Ita) 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (5)

Qualifying:
1-Bernand Tomic bt Jonas Forejtek 6-4, 6-2; 3-Chun-Hsin Tseng bt Yun Seong Chung 7-5, 4-6, 6-2; 4-S Vincent Ruggeri bt K Van Wyk 6-0, 6-2

by Abhishek Shukla

Davis Cup stars felicitated at the inauguration of DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024

Bengaluru, February 12, 2024: The Indian Davis Cup team, which defeated Pakistan resoundingly on their own turf recently, was felicitated during the impressive inauguration ceremony of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday.

The main draw of the tournament was inaugurated by Manjunath Prasad, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sport, Government of Karnataka in the presence of chief guest R Ashoka, President Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association and Leader of Opposition, Legislative Assembly of Karnataka.

“It’s a proud moment for the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association to have Davis Cup stars participating at the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024. Their achievement in Pakistan was historic and inspiring. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the entire team for their remarkable victory in this historic match and we look forward to celebrating many more successes in the future,” said R Ashoka, President Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association and Leader of Opposition, Legislative Assembly of Karnataka.

The Indian team thrashed Pakistan 4-0 to secure their place in the Davis Cup World Group I earlier this month. The members of the winning team Ramkumar Ramanathan, Sriram Balaji, Saketh Myneni and Nikki K Poonacha were present at the felicitation ceremony as they will also feature in the ongoing tournament.

“We welcome all of you to the sixth edition of Bengaluru Open 2024 and wish you all the best. It will be an exciting week for the fans as top players will be in action, competing for the coveted title,” said Manjunath Prasad, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sport, Government of Karnataka.

The prestigious ATP Challenger Tour 100 event, organised by KSLTA, will be played from February 12-18 with the likes of star Indian player Sumit Nagal, who broke into the ATP Top-100 ranking, former World No. 25 Vasek Pospisil of Canada and others vying for honours.

by Abhishek Shukla

Semenistaja wins singles title Jakupovic Santamaria capture doubles crown at L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, February 11: Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja won the biggest singles title of her career so far after winning the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI), on Sunday.

The 21-year-old from Latvia came from a set down and saved a match point late in the second set before prevailing over fellow southpaw Storm Hunter, of Australia, in a two-and-a-half-hour battle.

Semenistaja finally prevailed 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2 to win the title and continue her purple patch on Indian soil in 2024. The Latvian won an ITF W50 title in Bengaluru last month and has also claimed two ITF doubles title in the country before capping her run with the Mumbai title this week.

Earlier on Sunday, second seeds Dalila Jakupovic/ Sabrina Santamaria captured the doubles title ending the hopes of India No. 1 Prarthana Thombare and Dutchwoman Arianne Hartono.

The second seeded Slovenian-American pairing won the first set 6-4 before Thombare/ Hartono struck an early break to lead 2-0 in the second. However, Jakupovic/ Santamaria fought back to take six of the last seven games and complete the 6-4, 6-3 win in one hour and 25 minutes. Jakupovic was also a finalist in the singles event at this tournament in 2017, when she lost to reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.

L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Results, Sunday February 11, 2024

Singles Final

[6] Darja Semenistaja (LAT) def. Storm Hunter (AUS) 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2

Doubles Final

(2) Dalila Jakupovic (SLO)/ Sabrina Santamaria (USA) def. Arianne Hartono (NED)/ Prarthana Thombare (IND) 6-4, 6-3

by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Karan Singh goes down fighting against No. 2 seed at DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 qualifiers

Bengaluru, February 11, 2024: Rising Indian player Karan Singh fought his heart out against second seed Dan Added as the home players endured a tough day in the opening round of the singles qualifiers at the DafaNews Bangalore Open 2024 at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Wild card entrant 20-year-old Karan made life tough for his French rival, fighting tooth and nail in a gruelling contest before losing  6-7(3), 7-5, 6-7(9) in the opening round that lasted two hours and 46 minutes.

Sasikumar Mukund also fell 4-6, 3-6 to fourth seed Italian S Vincent Ruggeri.

Former national champion Siddarth Vishwakarma, who entered the field as an alternate, also battled hard against seventh seed Ukrainian Eric Vanshelboim but eventually lost 4-6, 4-6.

The prestigious tournament is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA). Final will be played on February 18. 

Two more Indian wild cards — Niki Poonacha and Adil Kalyanpur — also could not make the most of the opportunity, making an early exit.

Poonacha, who made a winning Davis Cup debut last week in Islamabad, also exited the event with a 3-6, 4-6 defeat against top seed Austrian Bernard Tomic, who was once a Top-20 player on the Tour.

Adil lost 4-6, 3-6 to eighth seed Korean Yun Seong Chung.  Moving to the next round were French Enzo Wallart and South African Kris Van Wyk. Wallart set aside the challenge of Japanese sixth seed Kaichi Uchida while Van Wyk pushed out Poland’s Olaf Pieczkowski 6-3 6-3.

The main draw will begin on Monday as the opening ceremony will be attended by chief guest R Ashoka, leader of opposition, Legislative Assembly of Karnataka and President, Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association and inaugurated by Manjunath Prasad, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports Government of Karnataka.

by Abhishek Shukla

Indian stars Nagal and Ramkumar draw French rivals for opening round as DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024

Bengaluru, February 11, 2024: India’s top singles players have drawn French players as their singles main draw first round rivals at the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 with second seed Sumit Nagal set to take on Geoffrey Blancaneaux and Ramkumar Ramanathan clashing with Maxime Janvier.

The prestigious tournament is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) at KSLTA Stadium. Qualifying rounds will begin today while the final is scheduled on February 18.

Blancaneaux is not a new rival for Nagal, who he has beaten three times so far. Nagal, ranked 121, had even beaten him in the Australian Open Qualifiers and would look to extend his dominance over the French player.

Ramkumar has a 1-1 head-to-head record against Janiver and if he clears the first round hurdle, he is likely to run into top seed Italian Luca Nardi. Nardi has been drawn to meet a qualifier in his opening round.

“It is always exciting to see Indians in the main draw. Hosting international tournaments in the country helps local players as they get to play alongside top global names. With the presence of players like former World No. 25 Vasek Pospsil, Sumit Nagal and Luca Nardi, the tournament will witness intense competition as fans can expect a week full of exciting and high voltage action at the KSLTA Stadium,” Tournament Director Sunil Yajaman said.

Australian Adam Walton has been seeded third and will open his campaign against Indian wild card entrant Prajwal Dev.    

In the doubles main draw, French Dan Added and Korea’s Yun Seong Chung have been given the top billing and will clash with the Australian pair of Tristan Schoolkate and Adam Walton.

Australia’s Christopher Matthew Romios and Poland’s Piotr Matuszewski are seeded second and will take on Taipei’s Ray Ho and Australia’s Calum Puttergill.

There are nine Indians in the doubles main draw. N Sriram Balaji and his German partner Andre Begemann. They will clash with the German combination of Mark Wallner and Jakob Schnaitter.

by Abhishek Shukla

India player combines with Holland’s Hartono to reach doubles final of L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, February 10: Prarthana Thombare kept Indian hopes alive. The Indian No. 1 doubles player Thombare along with her Dutch partner Arianne Hartono reached the doubles final at the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI), on Saturday.

Maharashtra’s Thombare and Hartono showed terrific understanding and combined perfectly to record a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over the Kazakhstan-South Korean pairing of Zhibek Kulambayeva and Sohyun Park in the second semi-final played under floodlights at the iconic CCI courts.

In the finals, the Indo-Dutch combination will clash with second seeds Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia and American Sabrina Santamaria. The Slovenian-American duo defeated Great Britain’s Naiktha Bains and Hungary’s Fanny Stollar 6-4, 6-1 in the other semi-final.

Earlier, sixth seed Darja Semenistaja of Latvia, and Storm Hunter of Australia, cruised into the singles final.

The 21-year-old Latvian Semenistaja, who won an ITF title in Bengaluru last month, continued her success on Indian soil with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Dutchwoman Arianne Hartono at the floodlit CCI courts on Saturday evening.

Hunter, the world’s third-ranked doubles player, upset eighth seed Katie Volynets 6-4, 7-6 in the first semi-final of the day. The 29-year-old left-hander, a Grand Slam champion in the mixed doubles format, continued her strong start to the season in singles. Last month, she qualified and went on to reach the third round of the Australian Open women’s singles draw – her best performance in a singles Grand Slam event. Hunter also reached the semi-finals of the women’s doubles event in Melbourne.

Sunday’s clash between the two left-handers will be the first career meeting between Semenistaja and Hunter. Both will also be playing their first singles final at the WTA $125K Series level and whoever triumphs would claim the biggest singles title of their career so far.

L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Results, Saturday February 10, 2024

Singles Semi-Finals

[6] Darja Semenistaja (LAT) def. Arianne Hartono (NED) 7-5, 6-4

Storm Hunter (AUS) def. [8] Katie Volynets (USA) 6-4, 7-6 (4)

Doubles Semi-Finals

(2) Dalila Jakupovic (SLO)/ Sabrina Santamaria (USA) def. Naiktha Bains (GBR)/ Fanny Stollar (HUN) 6-4, 6-1

Arianne Hartono (NED)/ Prarthana Thombare (IND) def. Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ)/ Sohyun Park (KOR) 6-2, 6-1

by Abhishek Shukla

Top Indian player Ramkumar gets wild card for DafaNews Bengaluru Open

Bangalore, February 10: Ramkumar Ramanathan, India’s second-highest-ranked player, has been granted a wild card entry into the singles main draw of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open, the organisers announced on Saturday.

Ramkumar, who led India in the recent Davis Cup clash against Pakistan, has reached the singles final on the ATP Challenger circuit seven times, winning his lone title in Manama, Bahrain, in November 2021.

Interestingly, Ramkumar had won his seventh and last doubles Challenger title in Bengaluru with compatriot Saketh Myneni, two years back. 

“I am extremely happy and grateful that Bengaluru Open has granted me the singles main draw wild card. I am looking forward to the tournament. Bengaluru has always been a happy hunting ground for me and I have had many special memories here. I just want to thank the entire organisation for trusting me. Let the best player win. I am going to give my best,” said Ramkumar, ranked 459. 

The Bengaluru Open will be the second Challenger tournament of the season for Ramkumar, who made the Nonthaburi event in January through Qualifiers.

“Ramkumar is a terrific talent and played a crucial role in ensuring India’s victory in Davis Cup Tie against Pakistan recently. He recently Won two ITF M25 World Tennis Tour events in Karnataka on his comeback and we are proud to have him in the Main draw of the Bengaluru Open which he totally deserves. His wild card makes the Indian presence stronger and we wish him the best.” Tournament Director Sunil Yajaman said.

The organisers have also awarded wild card entries to Prajwal Dev and his partner Siddhant Banthia in the doubles main draw along with the team of Manish Sureshkumar and Sai Karteek Reddy.

“We have also decided to give wild card entries to two Indian pairs in our endeavour to support the country’s players,” Yajaman added.

The organisers have also awarded wild card entries to Prajwal Dev and his partner Siddhant Banthia in the doubles main draw along with the team of Manish Sureshkumar and Sai Karteek Reddy.

“We have also decided to give wild card entries to two Indian pairs in our endeavour to support the country’s players,” Yajaman added.  

Bengaluru Open is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) at KSLTA Stadium. The ATP Challenger event will begin on February 12 and conclude on February 18. 

by Abhishek Shukla

DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024 ropes in twelve notable sponsors

Bengaluru, February 10, 2024: DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024, organized by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), has onboarded twelve gold sponsors who have pledged their support to elevate the stature of the tournament, set to take place at the KSLTA Stadium from February 12 to 18.

Led by real estate companies such as Prestige Group and Brigade Group, cable and broadband company ACT Fibernet, the country’s public sector banks Canara Bank and Bank of Baroda as well as conglomerates Hitachi and JSW Group have been roped in by the ATP 100 Challenger Event.

These sponsors aim to not only showcase their commitment to supporting sports but also to bolster community engagement.

Additionally, Ultratech Cement, Brigade Group, SKME, Baranj Coal Mines Pvt Ltd, Ramco Cement, Prestige Group, ACT Fibernet, and Suprada Constructions Pvt Ltd., have all joined as gold sponsors.

The collective involvement of these distinguished corporate and business companies will play a vital role in contributing to the growth of tennis in the city.

By leveraging the tournament’s prominence, the sponsors will be enhancing their visibility across diverse sports audiences nationwide.

Mr Maheshwar Rao IAS, Hon. Secretary KSLTA and Secretary, Organising Committee, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership with the prominent sponsors by saying, “We are delighted to welcome our valued sponsors for the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024. All our sponsors will play a pivotal role in increasing the prominence of this prestigious event and their support is integral to its success. With a shared vision for promoting tennis in the country, we look forward to delivering an exciting week of tennis in Bengaluru.”

While DafaNews will maintain its association as the title sponsor of the tournament, it will be joined by the Government of Karnataka’s Department of Tourism who will be continuing its role as the presenting sponsor.

Furthermore, Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd will also retain its role as the platinum sponsor for this year.

Sumit Nagal will lead India’s challenge in the singles for the event. Nagal had knocked out world number 27 Alexander Bublik at the Australian Open in the main draw first round.In doubles, the country’s Davis Cuppers, including Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji, who played a key role in India’s commanding win over Pakistan with their singles performances in Islamabad, will compete in the doubles event.

by Abhishek Shukla

Bhosale, Yamalapalli go down fighting in L&T Mumbai Open Tennis

Mumbai, February 8: The impressive runs of Indian challengers Sahaja Yamalapalli Rutuja Bhosale came to an end. Both, Yamalapalli and Bhosale went down fighting in their pre-quarter-final matches of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI), and played under floodlights at the CCI courts on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Yamalapalli, a wild card entrant and ranked 336 had a chances against the 162nd ranked 20-year-old Russian girl but blew them away and suffered a 6-1, 3-6, 5-7 defeat in close to two hours.

Bhosale, another wildcard entrant showed a lot of promise initially before losing to eighth seed Katie Volynets of America earlier in the day.

The 22-year-old American beat back a determined challenge from the 27-year-old Indian by carving out a satisfying 7-6(8), 2-6, 6-1 win in just under three hours to advance to the last eight. Volynets has now defeated a second successive Indian opponent after having beaten India No. 1 Ankita Raina in the opening round. In the quarter-finals, Volynets will take on South Korea’s Sohyun Park, who defeated Italy’s Camilla Rosatello 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in a battle between two lucky losers.

Meanwhile, Russian teen sensation Alina Korneeva has withdrawn from the competition. The 16-year-old Korneeva, winner of two Grand Slam girls’ singles titles, is down with a viral illness and will not take on Australian Storm Hunter in the quarter-finals.

In doubles action, India’s top-ranked doubles player Prarthana Thombare and Dutch partner Arianne Hartono stormed into the doubles semi-finals. The unseeded duo scored a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over the Greek-Aussie combination of Sapfo Sakellaridi/Olivia Tjandramulia to set up a semi-final clash against Sohyun Park/Zhibek Kulambayeva.

In the first singles match of the day, Japanese Moyuka Uchijima also reached the last eight with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi.

L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Results, Thursday February 8, 2024

Singles Second Round

8-Katie Volynets (USA) bt WC-Rutuja Bhosale (IND) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1;
Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) bt Dalma Galfi (HUN) 6-2, 6-1;
LL-Sohyun Park (KOR) bt LL-Camilla Rosatello (ITA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3;
Polina Kudermetova bt Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Doubles Quarter-Finals

Arianne Hartono (NED) / Prarthana Thombare (IND) def. Sapfo Sakellaridi (GRE) / Olivia Tjandramulia (AUS) 6-4, 6-2
Naiktha Bains (GBR) / Fanny Stollar (HUN) def. Anastasia Tikhonova / Motuka Uchijima (JPN) 6-2, 6-2

by Abhishek Shukla

Bengaluru Open 2024: Prajwal Dev gets wild card entry for DafaNews Bengaluru Open

Bengaluru, February 8: The Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) is pleased to announce a wild card for talented Prjawal Dev in the singles main draw of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open.

The 27-year Dev was also named a reserve in the Indian Davis Cup team for tie against Pakistan.

Dev had a decent 2023 season in which he ended a runner-up at the ITF15k event in Thailand and also reached the semi-finals in three other tournaments, including Mysuru.

“I would like to thank KSLTA for the wonderful opportunity to play in the main draw. I am privileged to receive the wild card and I am looking forward to the tournament. Hopefully I can do well. I am coming off a good week in Chennai and hopefully I continue with that,” said Prajwal Dev, currently ranked 611.

“Expectation is there and I am hopeful I will live up to that,” he said.     

Having the Davis Cuppers in action, the KSLTA will soon announce more main draw wild cards for the tournament which will conclude on February 18.

“Prajwal has the potential to break into top-500 soon and we want to give him an opportunity to achieve the feat at the earliest. He is a very talented player, and support at right time is what a player needs. Our endeavour is to support local talent,” said Sunil Yajaman, the Tournament Director.

“We are delighted to give this opportunity to Prajwal. Hopefully he will make full use of it,” Yajaman further added.

by Abhishek Shukla

Shrivalli goes down fighting; seeds Rodionova, Pigossi bow out of the L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, February 7: Shrivalli Bhadimipatty’s dream run this week came to an end on Wednesday evening but not before the 22-year-old Indian out on a tremendous fight against 16-year-old Alina Korneeva, ranked more than 380 spots above her, at the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI).

Korneeva, the top-ranked junior last year and winner of two junior Grand Slams in 2023, bounced back from the loss of the first set to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 25 minutes to advance to the quarter-finals.

Earlier in the day, fourth seed Arina Rodionova and fifth seed Laura Pigossi bowed out of the singles event. Rodionova was defeated in straight sets by Dutchwoman Arianna Hartono 4-6, 4-6 while Pigossi was knocked out by Australia’s Storm Hunter 3-6, 3-6.

With this, the top five seeds of the tournament have failed to make it past the second round. Sixth seed Darja Semenistaja is now the highest seed left in the singles event as she advanced to the quarter-finals with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over France’s Amandine Hesse.

In the doubles draw, the Indian duo of Sahaja Yamalapalli/ Vaishnavi Adkar went down fighting to second seeds Sabrina Santamaria/ Dalila Jakupovic 3-6, 6-7.

Yamalapalli, who knocked out top seed Kayla Day in the first round, will be back in action on Thursday for her second round singles match against Polina Kudermetova.

L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Results, Wednesday February 7, 2024

Singles First Round
Arianne Hartono (NED) def. (4) Arina Rodionova (AUS) 6-4, 6-4
Storm Hunter (AUS) def. (5) Laura Pigossi (BRA) 6-3. 6-3
(6) Darja Semenistaja (LAT) def. Amandine Hesse (FRA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Alina Korneeva def. Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (IND) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles First Round
(2) Sabrina Santamaria (USA)/ Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) def. Sahaja Yamalapalli (IND) / Vaishnavi Adkar (IND) 6-3, 7-6 (1)
Sapfo Sakellaridi (GRE)/ Olivia Tjandramulia (AUS)/ def Himeno Sakatsume (JPN)/ Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-3.
Panna Udvardy (HUN)/ Natela Dzalamidze (GEO) def. En-Shuo Liang (TPE)/ Chia Yi Tsao (TPE) 4-6, 6-4, 10-7
Ekaterina Yashina/ Carole Monnet (FRA)/ def. Sohyun Park (KOR)/ Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ)

by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Davis Cup heroes key attraction at DafaNews Bengaluru Open 

Bengaluru, February 7: Four Indian Davis Cuppers, including Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji, who played a key role in India’s commanding win over Pakistan with their singles performances in Islamabad, will compete in the doubles event of the DafaNews Bengaluru Open 2024.     

Ramkumar has paired up with big-serving compatriot Saketh Myneni, while Balaji has teamed up with Germany’s Andre Begemann for the event which will run from February 12-18.     

Ramkumar and Myneni won the doubles title in 2022.     

Balaji (WR 78) and Begeman (201) will be the third-seeded team in the 16-team draw with a combined rank of 279. 

Myneni (WR 107) and Ramkumar (WR 210) are the sixth-best team in terms of their combined rank of 317.        

The top-ranked team in the event will be of Frenchman Dan Added (WR 91) and Korea’s Yun Seong Chung (WR 167). They have a combined rank of 258.     

Dan Added has 11 double challenger titles to his credit and would like to add one more. He was in tremendous form in 2023 season, in which he won eight of those 11 Challenger events. His partner Chung had won the Bengaluru open doubles event last year with compatriot Yu Hsiou Hsu and would look to defend his title. Niki Poonacha (WR 147), who made a winning Davis Cup debut in Islamabad against Muhammad Shoaib, has joined forces with compatriot Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (WR 159).       

They have a combined rank of 306 and will be the fourth-seeded team in the ATP 100 Challenger event, which is being organised by Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA).  

“KSLTA is delighted to welcome India’s Davis Cuppers and it will be an added impetus for the Bengaluru crowd to witness them in action after their stupendous victory in Islamabad. The tournament will also provide the Indian and other top players the opportunity to earn key ranking points and move up the ATP charts. This year’s competition will be very close considering a very strong field will be aiming for the Title,” said Tournament Director Sunil Yajman.         

Sumit Nagal will lead India’s challenge in the singles. Nagal had knocked out world number 27 Alexander Bublik at the Australian Open in the main draw first round.

by Abhishek Shukla

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty stuns second seed Nao Hibino; Rutuja Bhosale, Prarthana Thombare win at L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, February 6: A day after wild carder Sahaja Yamalapalli sent the top seed Kayla Day of USA crashing out of the tournament, Indian qualifier Shrivalli Bhamidipatty pulled off another stunning upset, defeating second seed Nao Hibino of Japan in the first round of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI) and played at the floodlit CCI courts on Tuesday.


Ranked No. 520 in the world and playing against a top 100 player for the first, the 22-year-old Bhamidipaty, who won two matches in qualifying to reach the main draw, recovered from the loss of the first set to oust the three-time WTA titlist Hibino 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5) in two hours and 17 minutes. The Indian will take on 16-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva for a spot in the pre-quarter-finals.

Earlier in the day, Asian Games mixed doubles gold medallist Rutuja Bhosale scored a straight sets win over Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech 6-4, 7-5 to make it three Indians advancing to the second round of the biggest professional women’s tennis tournament in the country this year. Later, Indian No. 1 Ankita Raina went down tamely to American 8th seed Katie Volynets in straight sets 6-4, 6-2.

There was also good news for local fans in the doubles draw with India No 1 Prarthana Thombare and Dutch partner Arianne Hartono reaching the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 2-6, 10-6 upset win over the fourth-seeded Thai duo Luksika Kumkhum/ Peangtarn Plipuech.

Fourth seed Arina Rodionova, who created history this week by becoming the oldest woman to make her top 100 debut at the age of 34, scored a 6-2, 7-5 win over Dutch player Suzan Lamens.

The tournament’s third seed Tamara Zidansek pulled out of the tournament and was replaced by lucky loser Camilia Rosatello, who scored a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Anastasia Tikhonova. Seventh seeded Kimberly Birrel was also knocked out in a two-hour, 35-minute battle, going down to Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 2-6, 6-4, 5-7.

Results – Singles (Round 1):
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (IND) beat 2-Nao Hibino (JPN) 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(5);
4-Arina Rodionova (AUS) bt Suzan Lamens (NED) 6-2, 7-5;
Dalma Galfi (HUN) bt Kimberly Birrell (AUS) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5;
Polina Kudermetova bt Anastasia Zakharova 7-6 (8), 6-0;
Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) bt Carole Monnet (FRA) 6-3, 6-3
WC-Rutuja Bhosale (IND) Q-Peangtarn Plipuech (THA) 6-4, 7-5;
Storm Hunter (AUS) bt Q-Fanny Stollar (HUN) 3-0 retd.
Q-Amandine Hesse (FRA) bt Q-Lina Glushko (ISR) 6-1, 6-1;
LL-Camilia Rosatello (ITA) bt Anastasia Tikhonova 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.
8-Katie Volynets (USA) bt WC-Ankita Raina (IND) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles (Round 1): 
A Hartono (NED) / P. Thombare (IND) bt 4-L. Kumkhum (THA) / P. Plipuech (THA) 6-4, 2-6, 10-6.
C. Monnet (FRA) / E. Yashina def. V. Grammatikopoulou (GRE) / D. Semenistaja (LAT) 7-6, 6-4

by Abhishek Shukla

“Goal is to play Grand Slam Qualifiers this year” – Sahaja Yamalapalli dreams of bigger things after win over top seed at L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K

Mumbai, February 6: India’s Sahaja Yamalapalli had never played a WTA $125K event or a player ranked inside the top 100 in the world prior to Monday. But the 23-year-old displayed power-packed groundstrokes and nerves of steel to pull off an upset win over top seed Kayla Day in the first round of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series Tennis Championships, being organized by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and the Cricket Club of India (CCI), on Monday evening.

After the big win, Yamalapalli was thankful to tournament organizers for the wild card. “As you all know, I’m a wild-carder here in the tournament. I would like to thank MSLTA and Sunder (Iyer) Sir for giving me this opportunity to play on this big stage. To just be around these players, you start believing that you belong here. You see them, you play with them and you get that confidence and then you go on to the match like thinking, OK, you can do this. I was telling myself I can do this even though she’s the first seed. She’s top 100. I’ve never played a top 100 player before. It’s my first match playing a top 100 and I just wanted to give everything out there. In the end, I got a couple of match points and I was like shaking, like, Oh my God. Like I’m winning this. And I’m really glad that I was able to pull it off.”

“This is a big win for me, especially at this point of my career, it’s very motivating. It’s really pushing me to do better, push harder and more practices and really go out there and get more wins in, on the big stage. So I’m really happy to get this.”

Despite this being her first match against a top 100 player, Yamalapalli was not surprised at her level, having gained confidence to know that she can compete with players at the elite level.

“I mean, not really (surprised) because I know I can produce this type of tennis. It’s all mental. I was just preparing myself that I can do this because I was in the same position before against players in the top 200. And then I got this close and did not come on the winning side. At that time, I was a little bit less confident. But this time, all those experiences helped me for this match to go into that thinking like I can do this, I can beat anyone here. I was confident and just going for it.”

Having come through the American collegiate circuit and now training with PBI, Yamalapalli believes her fitness and physical strength have been some of the biggest improvements in her game.

“For sure, it’s fitness and physical strength. I’ve built a lot over the years and then my forehand has been the biggest strength in my game and the serve. Lately I’ve been working a lot on my serve because I have big groundstrokes. But my serve was very decent. So I was working on that for the past couple of weeks and today I was able to serve better than my last matches.”

Speaking about her goals for the season, Yamalapalli said her target is to play in the qualifying draws for the Grand Slams this year.

“I don’t want to say a ranking like a number. Of course, I want to build on this, keep working on my game. I think there’s still a lot more to learn and a lot more things to improve. There’s always things to improve. So I just want to take this match, take the confidence and motivation and keep going. And you know I want to at the end of the year play the qualifying at the Grand slams. I’m going to keep working hard and keep going towards it.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Sharapova’s pretty dresses inspired India’s Shrivalli to play tennis

Mumbai, February 5: Among the most promising Indian women’s tennis players in the main draw of the WTA 125K L&T Mumbai Open, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty made a sensational start to the tournament, winning two very impressive games in the qualifying round. The 22-year-old from Hyderabad is keen on making a solid impression in this prestigious event which returns to Mumbai after a gap of six years and is being played at the iconic Cricket Club of India. 

However, what inspired and motivated the current Indian National champion in both singles and doubles, was former World Number 1 Maria Sharapova, whose dressing caught her eye. “I used to look at Maria Sharapova’s pictures and really liked her pretty clothes. I, too, wanted to wear such pretty dresses and that’s the reason I started playing tennis at the age of 11 and got hooked into the sport. Playing tennis gave me the opportunity to be able to wear pretty dresses. So, for me getting into sports was pretty accidental,” she said. 

Hailing from a sporting family, where her mother was a basketball player and her father played cricket and karate, Shrivalli began to take tennis seriously within a couple of years of being introduced to the sport. “For me it was always a roller-coaster ride. Honestly, I just love the sport of tennis and being out there, because that way you don’t have to be home and studying,” she added. 

In her debut WTA tournament, Shrivalli is taking it one game at a time and ensuring she makes the best of every opportunity to be out there on court. 

“I didn’t have too many goals coming into the WTA L&T Mumbai Open because it is my debut tournament, and I just wanted to go out there, play my tennis and have fun at the same time. I know everyone I play will be a higher level than me. So, I just wanted to do my best and give it my best shot,” she added. 

“I am thrilled to qualify for the main draw and I will play normally like any other match. 

Shrivalli is scheduled to meet second seed Nao Hibino in the first round. 

by Abhishek Shukla

TPL’s Race to Gold initiative in association with MSLTA, DLTA & GSTA to put Junior District Tennis Players in the Spotlight

Mumbai, 2nd Feb 2024; In a visionary move, Tennis Premier League in association with MSLTA (Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association), DLTA (Delhi Lawn Tennis Association) & GSTA (Gujarat State Tennis Association) has launched Race to Gold (RTG), an initiative aimed at unearthing India’s tennis gems and providing them with sponsorship. This groundbreaking program aims not just to discover talent but to nurture it, year after year, creating a legacy of excellence in Indian tennis.

The first and the last Olympic medal for India in Tennis dates back to 1996 when Leander Paes clinched bronze. With Race to Gold, TPL aims to reignite India’s Olympic aspirations by nurturing a new generation of champions. This effort aims to support 72 talented tennis players, providing them with sponsorship opportunities and working towards creating a more inclusive and competitive tennis community

Kunal Thakkur, Co-Founder of Tennis Premier League, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “At TPL, we believe in nurturing talent from the grassroots level. Race to Gold is our commitment to empowering young tennis enthusiasts and providing them with the resources and exposure they need to shine on the world stage. By leveraging the TPL App, we ensure that no talent, no matter how remote, eludes our attention. ”

Highlighting the transformative nature of the initiative, Mrunal Jain Co-Founder of TPL, emphasizes, “The Race to Gold Initiative serves as a gateway for young talents to enter the world of professional tennis. We believe in the power of competition to bring out the best in our players. Ranking tournaments not only identify talent but also foster a spirit of healthy rivalry and camaraderie among participants. The legacy of Indian tennis runs deep within TPL’s ethos. From nurturing budding talents to celebrating historic achievements, we are committed to shaping the future of Indian tennis.

The scholarship, worth 75,000 INR, includes an advanced tennis racquet, a professional kit bag, a pair of shoes, jackets, strings, personalized jerseys, overgrips, caps, wristbands, socks, and slippers. Additionally, selected players will enjoy an exclusive player experience, including accommodation, food, and beverage for 2 days and 1 night at the TPL venue for the player plus one accompanying person (coach or parent). The experience also includes a session with a tennis legend, felicitation on live TV, and the opportunity to play a TPL format match against top players.

Leander Paes, an icon in tennis, expressed his endorsement for the ‘Race To Gold’ program of TPL, stating, “TPL’s commitment to nurturing young talents and promoting district participation in the ‘Race To Gold’ initiative is a testament to its impactful vision. This also signifies a purposeful step towards grassroots development. I believe it’s a significant stride for tennis in our country, and I am proud to support such initiatives that shape the future of the sport.”
The “Race To Gold” scholarship program will extend its reach to 8 major cities across India, including Mumbai, Pune , Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Eligible categories for selection include Under 10 Boys & Girls, Under 12 Boys & Girls, Under 14 Boys & Girls, Men’s Open, and Women’s Open.

Sumit Nagal, the most expensive player of the Tennis Premier League Season 5 auction, shared his thoughts on the initiative.  “TPL’s purposeful assembly of the top 72 talents as national tennis gems is truly praiseworthy. The initiative’s inclusion of district participation in the u10, u12, u14, and open categories is sure to elicit enthusiasm for the growth of tennis. I eagerly anticipate to see this journey grow more in the coming future.”

Sunder Iyer Honorable Secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association and Joint Secretary of All India Tennis Association, shares “Over the years, TPL has played a crucial role in providing opportunities, exposure, and support to Indian players by placing them at the forefront of promoting Indian tennis. Now, TPL believes that by providing opportunities and support at the grassroots level, it can pave the way for a new generation of tennis stars to emerge. MSLTA is very focused on developing the grassroot level of tennis in Maharashtra and District ranking tournaments will be very helpful in the same.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Fearless Shrivalli Bhamidipaty progress into main draw of L&T Mumbai Open

Mumbai, February 4: India’s Shrivalli Bhamidipaty continued to play freely and fearlessly and produced another remarkable performance to outduel Viktoria Morvayova of Slovakia registering a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win in the second and final qualifying round match of the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K match on Centre Court at the iconic Cricket Club of India on Sunday.

Shrivalli is the lone Indian from the qualifying round to make it to the main draw. India’s Vaidehi Chaudhari lost to Amandine Hesse of France 3-6, 1-6, while wild card entrant Zeel Desai retired after losing the first set 7-5 against top seed Himeno Sakatsume of Japan on Centre Court.

A two-time Indian National champion, Shrivalli, started in the same aggressive fashion as in her first round straight-set win against second seed Valentini Grammatikopoulou from Greece on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Shrivalli, who had won her maiden ITF women’s title in Bengaluru in last November, with clever tactics quelled the fight from her Slovak opponent who bravely battled on despite encountering some discomfort at the start of the third set. After the third game Viktoria, tailing 0-3 took a medical time-out. She continued to take treatment during change-overs, but did not throw-in the towel. She carried on fighting and even broke Shrivalli in the seventh game and held serve in the next to narrow the lead to 3-5 before Shrivalli went on to close out the match with a fierce passing shot in the ninth game of the deciding set.

Lina Glushko of Israel, sixth seed Fanny Stollar of Hungary and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech are the other players to qualify for the main draw, which will commence from Monday.

Results – qualifying (round-2): 

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (IND) bt Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3;

Amandine Hesse (FRA) bt Vaidehi Chaudhari (IND) 6-3, 6-1;

Lina Glushko (ISR) bt Camilla Rosatella (ITA) 6-3, 6-3;

1-Himeno Sakatsume (JPN) bt Zeel Desai (IND) 7-5, retired;

6-Fanny Stollar (HUN) bt  Sohyun Park (KOR) 6-4, 6-3;

Peangtarn Plipuech (THA) bt Chia Yi Tsao (TPE) 6-3, 6-3..

by Abhishek Shukla

India’s Shrivalli and Zeel impress with shock wins in L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K

Mumbai, February 3: Indian challengers Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Zeel Desai put on a fantastic show, causing major upsets in first round qualifying matches, as top-level tennis returned to Mumbai after a hiatus of six years.
 
The 22-year-old Indian Shrivalli making her debut on the WTA Tour showed remarkable poise and confidence as she came from behind to knockout second seed Valentini Grammatikopoulou from Greece winning in straight sets in the L&T Mumbai Open WTA 125K match on Centre Court at the Cricket Club of India on Saturday.
 
The 26-year-old 117-ranked Greek player started powerfully and raced to a 3-1 lead. But Shrivalli, the Indian National champion in both singles and doubles, showed tremendous resilience and won the five games in succession to wrap up the first set. That win further boosted her confidence as she started to serve stronger and dominated the rallies and went on to take the second for a satisfying 6-3, 6-2 win.
 
In another contest, Wild Card entrant Zeel brushed aside the challenge of another Greece’s player Sapfo Sakellaridi, winning in straight sets 6-2, 6-1. Playing in conditions that were familiar to her, Desai was out of the blocks fast, and didn’t allow her Greek opponent, who was seeded seventh, any scope for a comeback. 
 
“Honestly, since it was my debut game, I was just keen, going out there and having a good game. I just wanted to play my best tennis and use my strengths to the best of my ability. The organisers (MSLTA and WTA) are doing a great job and we now have a lot of women’s tournaments, which is encouraging us to work harder. And we have also been climbing up the ranks, and I think tournaments like the WTA L&T Mumbai Open 125K allows us to compete at a higher level, which is good for us,” Shrivali said, after winning her debut game on the WTA tour.
 
Unseeded Vaidehi Chaudhari of India also advanced to the second round as (IND) as her opponent, fourth seed Dejana Radanovic after trailing 2-3 retired hurt.
 
However, two Indians who were awarded wild card failed to raise to the challenge and crashed out. Madhurima Sawant lost to Korea’s Sohyun Park 1-6, 1-6, while Sameeksha Shroff was outplayed by France’s Amandine Hesse, who charged to a 6-1, 6-0 win.
 
Meanwhile, Lina Glushko of Israel produced a gallant fight to score an upset win against fifth seed En-Shuo Liang of Chinese Taipei snatching a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(5) win to advance to the second round.
 
Results – Qualifiers (Round-1):
 
1-Himeno Sakatsume (JPN) bt Akanksha Nitture (IND) 6-3, 6-1;
Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (IND) bt 2-Valentini Grammatikopoulou 6-3, 6-2;
WC-Zeel Desai (IND) bt 7-Sapfo Sakellaridi (GRE) 6-2, 6-1;
Amandine Hesse  (FRA) bt WC-Sameeksha Shroff (IND) 6-1, 6-0;
Lina Glushko (ISR) bt En-Shuo Liang (TPE) 5-7, 61-, 7-6(5);
Viktoria Morvayova (SVK) bt Conny Perrin (SUI) 1-6, 6-4, 6-1;
Camilla Rosatello (ITA) bt Zhibek Kulambayeva (KAZ) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3);
Sohyun Park (KOR) bt WC-Madhurima Sawant (IND) 6-1, 6-1;
Vaidehi Chaudhari (IND) bt Dejana Radanovic (SRB) 3-2 (retired);
Fanny Stollar (HUN)  bt Naiktha Bains (GBR) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1;
Peangtarn Plipuech (THA) bt Diana Marcinkevica (LAT) 6-2, 6-0.

by Abhishek Shukla

Zeeshan Ali Named Captain for India’s Davis Cup Tie Against Pakistan

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has appointed Mr. Zeeshan Ali as the captain of the Indian Davis Cup team for the upcoming match against Pakistan in Islamabad on February 3rd and 4th, 2024. This decision was made in light of Mr. Rohit Rajpal’s inability to serve due to personal reasons. Mr. Ali, who also serves as the team’s coach, brings a wealth of experience and expertise, positioning him well to lead the team in this critical encounter

by Abhishek Shukla

Players from 31 countries to be seen in action at L&T Mumbai Open Tennis Championships

Mumbai, 30th January 2024: Players from 31 countries will be seen in action at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) and Cricket Club of India (CCI)-organised L&T Mumbai Open, which returns to the tennis calendar after a gap of six years.

An exciting line-up at the third edition of the tournament will include three top 100 players in the singles and six top 100 players in the doubles event, which is a part of the WTA $125K series.

The tournament will be played at the newly-laid tennis courts at the Cricket Club of India. Qualifying matches will be played starting February 3rd and 4th while the main draw action will start on Monday February 5th, 2024. The finals will be played on Sunday February 11th.

American Kayla Day, the 2016 US Open girls singles champion and world No. 82, will lead the 32-player field, along with Japan’s Nao Hibino, winner of three WTA Tour singles titles, and former French Open semi-finalist Tamara Zidansek, ranked 97th in the world.

Other players in the field include American Katie Volynets, Australians Arina Rodionova and Kimberly Birrell and Brazil’s Laura Pigossi.

16-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva, who was the top-ranked junior in the world last year, and reached the third round of the 2024 Australian Open women’s singles event just 12 months after winning the girls singles title, will also be seen in action in Mumbai.

India’s top-ranked doubles player Prarthana Thombare and Dutch partner Arianne Hartono have a direct entry into the doubles event. Wild cards for the tournament are expected to be announced in the coming days.

In a statement issued by Mr Sanjay Khandare and Mr Pravin Darade, both IAS and members of the Organising Committee, said that it will be an exciting week of tennis for fans in Mumbai.

“We are delighted to bring back world class tennis to Mumbai after a gap of a few years. The WTA Mumbai Open has attracted some big names and rising stars in the past, including two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, who won her first WTA $125K title right here in Mumbai in 2017.”

“We have a strong field this year as well with the likes of Kayla Day, Nao Hibino and Tamara Zidansek in the field as well as the rising Russian Alina Korneeva. We hope tennis fans in Mumbai will come out in flocks to support the players and the tournament,” they added.

This is the third edition of the WTA Mumbai Open with past singles champions including world No 2 Sabalenka (2017) and Thailand’s Luksika Kumkhum (2018).

The tournament’s sponsors include L&T India is the title sponsor of the event. While the event is supported by MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority), other sponsors of the tournament include Department of Sports, Cisco, MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority), Enerzal, Radio City, Amrete Water and Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital.

by Abhishek Shukla

Cool down after a sizzling day of tennis as Djokovic and Kyrgios Share a Lighthearted Exchange 

Mumbai, January 23rd, 2024: Following his quarter-final victory at the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic engaged in a lighthearted on-court interview with Nick Kyrgios. The exchange, characterized by mutual respect and playful banter, provided a refreshing moment amidst the competitive games the Australian Open, fondly called the Slam of The Greats, is offering.

Kyrgios, known for his flamboyant personality and unorthodox style, took on the role of interviewer, probing Djokovic about his preparations and motivations. Djokovic, with his characteristic composure and wit, readily engaged in the playful questioning, even revealing a humorous superstition involving a pre-match lucky tree. 

Kyrgios took an opportunity to ask Djokovic, who is chasing his 25th career Grand Slam, about his ritual of hugging a specific tree for success. The question invited a humorous response from Djokovic, “I’ll show you the tree. You can’t tell anyone. It’s a big secret. You gotta take off your shoes and climb to the highest point and hang upside down on one of the highest branches for 33 minutes and 3 seconds. Then you’re gonna win a slam.” Djokovic jokingly responded to help the crowd erupt (again) but this time with laughter.

The hilarious exchange on the court was a great reminder of the camaraderie and sportsmanship that can exist even in the fiercely competitive world of tennis, especially between two players who have played out some of the most memorable games against each other. The Australian Open has entered a crucial phase, with exciting match-ups throughout the week leading up to the final day on January 28th. Sony Sports Network is offering live coverage of all the tennis action from the Australian Open, with commentary available in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, featuring Indian tennis legends, including Sania Mirza

by Abhishek Shukla

Darja emerges champ at KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open

Bengaluru, Jan 21:  Top seed Darja Semenistaja lived up to her top billin status as she annexed the KPB Trust ITF Women’s Open crown steamrolling an error-prone sixth seed Carole Monnet in the final played at the KSLTA Stadium here on Sunday. The Latvian after breezing past 6-1 in the first set was leading 3-0 in the second set when her French rival threw in the towel owing to back injury.

This was the 21-year-old Darja’s 15th ITF title overall, which she made all the more memorable by winning the doubles title as well yesterday. “I am feeling very happy to take two titles home. I think Bengaluru is lucky for me,” said Darja who took home the winner’s cheque of US $ 6094 while earning 50 WTA points each for her singles and doubles victory. Carole won the runner-up cheque for US $ 3257 while earning 33 WTA points for her effort.

The Sunday crowd which had gathered in sizable numbers was expecting a closely fought affair, considering the epic battles the contestants had won in their respective previous rounds. Perhaps the exhaustion came into play when it mattered the most.

After two early breaks in the 1st and the 3rd game, the top seed was cruising at 3-0 when Carole showed signs of a comeback and broke her opponent’s serve in the 4th game. However, the rush of form was short lived as Darja, who would probably get a significant jump in her current ranking of 142 in the world, took advantage of the error-prone rival to win the next three games and the first set 6-1.

In the second set too, Darja with a break in the second led 3-0 when Carole took a medical break to attend to her nagging back ache. However, she was 15-40 in the fourth game when she could not take the pain anymore and retired.

Results (Bracket indicates country, pre-fix indicates seeding).

Singles Finals

1-Darja Semenistaja (LAT) bt 6-Carole Monnet (FRA) 6-1, 3-0 (retd)