India’s top three in the ATP ranking list, Yuki Bhambri (140), Ramanathan Ramkumar (148) and Prajnesh Gunneswaran (255) are in the main draw of the $50,000 KPIT-MSLTA ATP Challenger, that will begin with the qualifying rounds at the Mhalunge-Balewadi Tennis Complex, Pune from Saturday. The 32 card main draw will start on Monday. Japan’s Yuichi Sugita, India’s Bhambri and France’s Sadio Doumbia were the winners in the preceding three years.
The MSLTA has awarded the two State wildcard entries to Aryan Goveas and Arjun Khade, who after playing college tennis in the US for four years has been competing in the ITF Futures this year. The 19 year old Goveas has been seen in action in the ITF events starting from May 2015; he was given the wildcard in the inagural Pune Challenger in 2015 when he lost to Belgium’s Gigounon Germain in the first round by three sets.
The organising committee in consulation with the AITA has also awarded wildcard entries to Saketh Myneni and Vishnu Vardhan. “Sumit Nagal and Sriram Balaji have moved into the main draw. Now the four qualifiers will complete the draw of 32,” said Sunder Iyer, Secretary, MSLTA.
Majority of the leading Indian players will be seen in action in the qualifying rounds. “The Indian players wanted this tournament to be a $50,000 plus hospitality event. The objective of the Pune Challenger is to bring benefits to the Indian players. The quality of the tournament has improved with the direct entry cut off ranged between 107 and 304 (in the ATP list),” said Kishor Patil, Chairman of the organising committee and MD & CEO, KPIT.
The top draw for the tournament is Slovenia’s No. 1 Blaz Kavcic, ranked as high as 98 on Friday. This year, Kavcic has reached five Challengers finals and won two. He is followed by Moldova’s Radu Albot, Spain’s Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, Bhambri, Serbiá’s Nikola Milojevic and Ramkumar.
The men’s singles winner will receive $7,200 and 80 ATP points and the runner-up, $4,053 and 48 ATP points.
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