Pune Challenger tennis: Prajnesh Gunneswaran scripts spirited comeback, moves into final

Swept aside in the opening set, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the No. 4 seed, knocks out the top seed, Moldova’s Albot Radu, in a keen semifinal tussle.

File Photo: Prajnesh Gunneswaran defeated Albot Radu 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran played like a true professional and a champion. Swept aside in the opening set, the No. 4 seed knocked out the top seed, Moldova’s Albot Radu, in a keen semifinal tussle that lasted two hours in the USD 50,000 MSLTA KPIT Challenger at the Balewadi sports complex here on Friday.

Read: Elias Ymer moves into final

Gunneswaran, who won 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, held his first service game, but made to think hard, he provided a brilliant twist to the tale.

Holding nerve

The Indian took the lead in the second set and did not allow the advantage slip; he was in some pressure, serving at 4-3 in the third, but rallied from a 15-40 deficit to hold the upper hand. An unforced error by Radu eventually saw the Indian home for a place in the title match on Saturday.

The crowd played its part by cheering every point he won.