Ramkumar reaches second round of Marbella Challenger

Ramkumar Ramanathan defeated Alessandro Giannessi 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the second round of the Marbella Challenger on Tuesday.

Ramkumar Ramanathan fought off a stiff challenge from Alessandro Giannessi to make it to the second round. (File Photo)

Davis Cupper Ramkumar Ramanathan battled past Alessandro Giannessi of Italy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the first round of the Challenger in Spain on Tuesday.

Ramkumar had earlier won the doubles pre-quarterfinals in partnership with Enrique Lopez Perez of Spain against the second seeds Roman Jebavy and Antonio Sancic 10-8 in the super tie-break.

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The Indian challenge was further strengthened as the other Indian Davis Cupper in the tournament, Sumit Nagal made the main draw as a lucky-loser.

In the $25,000 ITF women’s event in Japan, Ankita Raina had a good start, winning her singles and doubles matches.

In the $15,000 event in Egypt, qualifier Bhunava Kalva went down fighting in three sets to Maria Paulina Perez Garcia of Colombia in the first round.  

The results: € 43,000 Challenger men, Marbella, Spain Singles (first round): Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Alessandro Giannessi (Ita) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Enrique Lopez Perez (Esp) & Ramkumar Ramanathan bt Roman Jebavy (Cze) & Antonio Sancic (Cro) 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. $25,000 ITF women, Kofu, Japan Singles (first round): Ankita Raina bt Mai Hontama (Jpn) 6-1, 7-6(3). Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Chin-Weii Chan (Tpe) & Ankita Raina bt Kiko Nishizato & Sayaka Suzuki (Jpn) 6-3, 6-0. $15,000 ITF women, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Singles (first round): Maria Paulina Perez-Garcia (Col) bt Bhuvana Kalva 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.