Stefano Napolitano handed Sumit Nagal his first defeat in nine matches to enter the singles final of the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger at the KSLTA courts inside Cubbon Park here on Saturday.
The burly Italian of a 6’5” frame and a power-packed game and his relatively stubbier opponent with agile feet matched each other for long periods. But it was the visitor who held steady when it mattered the most — in the tiebreaker of the first set and the last two games of the second — to clinch the match 7-6(2), 6-4.
In Sunday’s final, Napolitano will play South Korea’s Seongchan Hong, who overcame Spaniard Oriol Roca Batalla 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Such was Napolitano’s court presence and reach that Nagal had to go for the lines repeatedly. That he managed it time and again was credit to his form and belief. But it was also not one of those days when everything came off for the World No.98.
Napolitano, on his part, hit ferociously when the ball was in his strike zone, but appeared to struggle when it was skiddy and low.
This tussle was evident in the way the duo traded breaks two times each in both sets. But at 4-4 in the second, Napolitano came up with one of his cleanest holds and that meant Nagal had to display nerves of steel to stay in match.
But two forehand errors from Nagal and two lucky net cords for Napolitano ended the home favourite’s pursuit of a second straight Challenger title.
Later on, Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni won their second doubles title in as many weeks, beating Frenchmen Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine and Maxime Janvier 6-3, 6-4 in the final. This was also the pair’s third trophy together and second in the Garden City.
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