Suraj Prabodh Stuns No. 2 Seed at Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship
Suraj Prabodh's Remarkable Comeback
New Delhi, October 7: In a thrilling match at the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship, 31-year-old Suraj Prabodh achieved a stunning upset by overcoming second seed Aditya Balsekar with a score of 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at the DLTA Complex.
After dropping the first set, Prabodh shifted to a more aggressive style, a tactic that proved successful, as noted in a statement from the Fenesta Open.
“Everyone knows he’s a fantastic player,” Prabodh remarked post-match. “I was just trying to stay in the game, especially after the first set. He was very consistent and everywhere on the court. I decided to be more aggressive and take control of the points. Somehow, I managed to pull through, and it was well-executed.”
Other Matches and Upsets
In another surprising turn, fifth seed Oges Jaya was eliminated in the first round, losing to the powerful Raghav Jaisinghani with a score of 7-5, 2-6, 6-4. However, fourth seed Udit Kamboj secured his place in the next round with a solid 6-1, 7-5 victory over the promising Aditya Mor.
In the women's singles, fifth seed Aditi Rawat, seventh seed Laxmi Siri Dandu, and eighth seed Sohini Mohanty all advanced. Rawat faced a tough challenge but ultimately triumphed over L Arunkumar with a score of 6-3, 7-5.
“In the final game, I focused solely on my performance,” Rawat stated. “I aimed to play my shots without worrying about the score. I just wanted to give my best.”
Doubles Competitions Begin
The doubles events kicked off as well, with top seeds Manish Sureshkumar and Nitin Sinha moving into the quarterfinals after defeating Raghav Jaisinghani and Lakshit Sood 7-5, 6-2.
“It was a solid match,” Sureshkumar commented. “We had many good points. I hope our partnership continues to work well as we progress.”
Sinha praised his partner, who is also the top seed in the men's singles, for their success. “He covered everything, and it’s always enjoyable to play alongside him. We’re excited for the upcoming rounds.”
Notable Upsets in Men's Doubles
Another significant upset occurred in the men's doubles, where Aryan Chauhan and Karan Singh defeated second seeds Madhwin Kamath and Rohan Mehra with a score of 6-3, 3-6, 10-7.
In the boys' U-18 category, top seed Praneel Sharma advanced to the round of 16 with a decisive 6-0, 6-3 win over Sarthak Gaikwad. Third seed Harsh Malik faced an unexpected defeat in the second round, while fourth seed Om Patel and fifth seed Mor also progressed.
In the girls' U-18 draw, top seed S Bhuvaneswaran and third seed Shreeniti Chowdhury both secured comfortable victories to reach the third round.
Match Results Overview
Men's Singles First Round Results:
Suraj R Prabodh def. Aditya Balsekar [2] 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
Udit Kamboj [4] def. Aditya Mor 6-1, 7-5
Raghav Jaisinghani def. Oges Jaya [5] 7-5, 2-6, 6-4
Women's Singles First Round Results:
Aditi Rawat [5] def. L Arunkumar 6-3, 7-5
Laxmi Siri Dandu [7] def. A Khorakiwala 6-2, 6-1
Sohini Mohanty [8] def. Joell Nichole 7-5, 6-3
Men's Doubles First Round Results:
M Sureshkumar [1] / Nitin Sinha [1] def. R Jaisinghani/ Lakshit Sood 7-5, 6-2
Aryan Chauhan / Karan Singh def. Madhwin Kamath [2] / Rohan Mehra [2] 6-3, 3-6, 10-7
Girls U-18 Singles Second Round Results:
S Bhuvaneswaran [1] def. Sarena Gahlot 6-1, 6-1
Shreeniti Chowdhury [3] def. Paavani Bisht 6-1, 6-0