The fifth edition of the Tata Open Maharashtra, an ATP 250 event, will be held at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune from December 31 to January 7.
The singles field for the upcoming edition comprises 17 top-100 players.
Here are the five singles players to watch out at Tata Open Maharashtra 2023:-
Marin Cilic (Croatia) - World No. 17
Croatian star Marin Cilic will return at the Tata Open Maharashtra after four years, having reached the semifinals in 2018. Former World No. 3 Cilic has previously won the tournament twice, in 2009 and 2010, when it was conducted in Chennai. Eight years after clinching the US Open in 2014, he achieved his maiden semifinal appearance at the 2022 French Open earlier this year. He is one of only seven active players with more than 550 career wins.
Emil Ruusuvuori (Finland) - World No. 40
FILE PHOTO: Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori was the runner-up at 2022 Tata Open Maharashtra. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Finnish youngster Emil Ruusuvuori had an impressive outing at the last edition where he entered his first ATP Tour final before going down fighting against Portugal’s Joao Sousa in the title clash. The 23-year-old has since risen through the ranks, taking a giant leap from World No. 87 to current career-best ranking of 40. The top-ranked Finnish player has also represented his nation in the Davis Cup.
Sebastian Baez (Argentina) - World No. 43
FILE PHOTO: Sebastian Baez of Argentina won his maiden ATP Tour title at the 2022 Estoril Open. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Sebastian Baez will be making his Tata Open Maharashtra debut after an exceptional 2022. The 21-year-old from Argentina made his ATP Tour debut last year and has already played all four Grand Slam events. With a sensational start to his career, he became the youngest to claim five Challenger titles in a season. Baez clinched his maiden ATP title by winning the 2022 Estoril Open. He also achieved career-high rankings of 31 after beating World No. 8 Andrey Rublev, the biggest win of his career, at the 2022 Bastad.
Yuki Bhambri (India) - World No. 553
FILE PHOTO: Yuki Bhambri is the lone Indian so far to receive entry in the singles qualifiers | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Former junior World No. 1 Yuki Bhambri is the lone Indian so far to receive entry in the singles qualifiers. He made the cut on the basis of his protected rankings of 127. The Indian made a brilliant comeback in the last edition after an injury that kept him away from the game for almost two years. He ended his campaign in the pre-quarterfinals. The former Youth Olympics silver medallist won six ATP Challengers Tour doubles titles with Saketh Myneni in 2022.
Elias Ymer (Sweden) - World No. 127
FILE PHOTO: Sweden’s Elias Ymer beat top seed and then World No 15 Aslan Karatsev in straight sets in the second round of Tata Open Maharashtra 2022. | Photo Credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy/The Hindu
From qualifiers to semifinals, the 26-year-old Swedish star had a dream run at the last edition in Pune. Ymer caught many eyeballs by producing some solid performances, which included win over top seed and then World No 15 Aslan Karatsev in straight sets in the second round. In 2015, he made history by becoming the second male teenager on record to qualify for all four Grand Slam events in a calendar year.
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