Indian sports news wrap, February 10

Here are all the updates, results and developments from the world of Indian sports on February 10.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan during the Davis Cup 2024 tennis match between India and Pakistan. | Photo Credit: PTI

TENNIS

Ramkumar gets wild card for Bengaluru Open

Ramkumar Ramanathan, India’s second-highest-ranked player, has been granted a wild card entry into the singles main draw of the 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.

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.

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.

- Team Sportstar

Siddhant Banthia and Sai Karteek lose quarterfinals in Turkey

Siddhant Banthia and Sai Karteek Reddy were beaten 6-2, 6-1 by Samuela Pieri and Dan Alexandru Tomescu in the doubles quarterfinals of the $25,000 ITF men’s tennis tournament in Antalya, Turkey.

The results:

$25,000 ITF men, Antalya, Turkey: Doubles (quarterfinals): Samuele Pieri (Ita) & Dan Alexandru Tomescu (Rou) bt Siddhant Banthia & Sai Karteek Reddy 6-2, 6-1.

$25,000 ITF men Hammamet, Tunisia: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Thomas Fancutt (Aus) & Aziz Ouakaa (Tun) bt Sathi Reddy Chirala & Jay Clarke (GBR) 6-3, 6-0.

$15,000 ITF men, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Hayato Matsuoka (Jpn) & Faris Zakaria (Egy) bt Kevin Portmann (Ita) & Rishiraj Shekhawat 6-2, 6-0.

$25,000 ITF women, Wesley Chapel, USA: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Lia Karatancheva (Bul) & Victoria Osuigwe (USA) bt Riya Bhatia & Amanda Elkin (Mex) 6-3, 6-2.

$15,000 ITF women, Monastir, Tunisia: Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Selina Dal (Ger) & Stephanie Visscher (Ned) bt Sandeepti Singh Rao & Demi Tran (Ned) 6-4, 6-7(4), [10-3].

-Kamesh Srinivasan

MORE SPORTS

India ends BIMSTEC aquatic meet as the leader, Thailand second

Host India won the inaugural Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectional Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) aquatic meet with 19 gold, 27 silver and eight bronze medals at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool.

India won 19 gold medals at the meet, with the men winning 11 and the women bagging eight, at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Indian men won 11 gold, and the women eight gold. Thailand was second in the men’s section with seven gold, three silver and 12 bronze. Thailand was on top in women’s section with nine gold, six silver and three bronze medals.

Sri Lanka won 10 bronze medals in the seven-nation competition. Nepal managed to bag one bronze.

Harsh Saroha won the best swimmer award in the men’s section with three gold. Maria Andelko of Thailand was declared the best swimmer in the women’s section as she won three godl and a silver medal.

Kittapart Kaewmart of Thailand won the men’s 50-metre freestyle with a time of 23.71 seconds, ahead of the Indian swimmers Joshua Thomas (23.8) and Veer Khatkar (24.10).

In women’s 50-metre freestyle, Kamonluck Tungnapakorn of Thailand clocked 27 seconds to win the title ahead of compatriot Pannita Chawanuchit (27.14). Alefiya Dhansura (27.42) won the bronze for india.

India won the diving championship for both men and women. In water polo, Thailand won both the men’s and women’s championships, beating India 31-7 and 24-3 respectively.

-Kamesh Srinivasan