Ramkumar, Prajnesh in quarterfinals in Anning Challenger

While Prajnesh beat Czech Republic's Adam Pavlasek 7-5, 6-3 to set up a quarterfinal clash with Nikola Milojevic, Ramkumar beat Zhezhen Zhang in three sets.

While Prajnesh defeated Adam Pavlasek 7-5, 6-3; fifth seed Ramkumar had to battle Zhezhen Zhang in three sets to set up a quarterfinal match against third seed Kamil Majchrzak of Poland. (FILE IMAGE)

Prajnesh Gunneswaran and Ramkumar Ramanathan kept the Indian hopes alive and reached the singles quarterfinals of the $162,480 Challenger tennis tournament in China on Thursday.

Defending champion and second seed Prajnesh defeated Adam Pavlasek of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-3 to set up a quarterfinal clash against Nikola Milojevic of Serbia.

Fifth seed Ramkumar had to battle Zhezhen Zhang in three sets to set up a quarterfinal match against third seed Kamil Majchrzak of Poland.

In the Challenger in Sarasota, second seeds Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Purav Raja were beaten 10-5 in the super tie-break by wild card entrants Boris Arias and Sekou Bangoura in the doubles pre-quarterfinals.

The results: $162,480 Challenger, Anning, China Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Zhizhen Zhang (Chn) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Prajnesh Gunneswaran bt Adam Pavlasek (Cze) 7-5, 6-3 Doubles (quarterfinals): Max Purcell & Luke Saville (Aus) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran & Saketh Myneni 6-1, 6-1 $108,320 Challlenger, Sarasota, US Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Boris Ariass (Bol) & Sekou Bangoura (US) bt Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan & Purav Raja 5-7, 7-5, [10-5] $25,000 ITF men, Shymkent, Kazakhstan Doubles (quarterfinals): Sidharth Rawat & Manish Sureshkumar bt Sergey Fomin (Uzb) & Dostanbekk Tashbulatov (Kaz) 6-4, 6-1 $25,000 ITF men, Abuja, Nigeria Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Tom Jomby (Fra) bt Kunal Anand 6-3, 6-4 $15,000 ITF men, Cairo, Egypt Singles (pre-quarterfinals): Mathiieu Perchicot (Fra) bt VM Ranjeet 6-0, 6-3; First round: Mathieu Perchigot (Fra) bt PC Vignesh 6-1, 6-3; VM Ranjeet bt Daniil Sokolov (Rus) 6-2, 6-0 $15,000 ITF women, Antalya, Turkey Singles (first round): Eliessa Vanlangendonck (Bel) bt Jennifer Luikham 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 Doubles (quarterfinals): Ramu Ueda (Jpn) & Jennifer Luikham bt Ena Kajevic (Cro) & Jantje Tilbuerger (Ger) 4-6, 6-1, [10-5]