Yuki Bhambri returned to the professional circuit with a fighting 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 win over wild card Hong Seong-Chan of Korea in the first round of the $50,000 Challenger tennis tournament in Korea on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Yuki, who had missed a few weeks on the Tour including the Davis Cup tie against the Uzbeks in Bengaluru due to a painful knee, converted five of his 17 break points and dropped serve four times in the match that lasted just over two hours.
He will face second seed Konstantin Kravchuk of Russia in the pre-quarterfinals.
In the $25,000 ITF men’s Futures in Nigeria, Haadin Bava knocked out the seventh seed Fernando Romboli of Brazil in straight sets. He was joined in the pre-quarterfinals by Sasi Kumar Mukund who beat compatriot Anvit Bendre, while qualifier Rishabdev Raman crashed out.
In the ITF women’s event in Turkey, qualifier Mahak Jain was beaten in the first round by Barbara Gatica of Chile. Not winning any WTA points for her efforts may be disheartening for the 15-year-old Mahak, who had made the final of a tournament recently in Gwalior, but the experience will strengthen the foundation of her professional career.
The results:-
$50,000 Challenger (men), Gimcheon, Korea
Singles (first round): Yuki Bhambri (Ind) bt Hong Seong-Chan (Kor) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
$25,000 ITF (men), Abuja, Nigeria
Singles (first round): Sasi Kumar Mukund bt Anvit Bendre 6-2, 6-4; Ivan Marrero Curbelo (Esp) bt Rishabdev Raman 6-2, 6-0; Haadin Bava bt Fernando Romboli (Bra) 6-3, 6-4.
$15,000 ITF (women), Cairo, Egypt
Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Anastasia Gevel (Ukr) & Anastasia Sukhotina (Rus) bt Yusra Hegy (Egy) & Swara Kulkarni (Ind) 6-0, 6-3.
$15,000 ITF (women), Antalya, Turkey
Singles (first round): Barbara Gatica (Chi) bt Mahak Jain (Ind) 7-5, 6-2.
Qualifying singles (third and final round): Mahak Jain (Ind) bt Anastasia Abramyan (Rus) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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