Upsets and Victories Mark Day at Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship

The 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship has seen unexpected outcomes, including top seed Deepthi Venkatesan's defeat by Unnathi Muralidhar. With other seeds advancing smoothly and some facing upsets, the tournament is heating up. Key players like Ribhav Saroha and Aarav Challani are making their mark as they progress through the rounds. Stay tuned for more thrilling matches and results from this prestigious event.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 14, 2026, 00:15 IST

Shock Defeat for Top Seed in Girls U-16

In a surprising turn of events at the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship held at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi, top seed Deepthi Venkatesan faced an unexpected loss in the girls U-16 singles category. She was defeated in straight sets by Unnathi Muralidhar from Karnataka, with a score of 6-2, 6-2, in a match that lasted just 1 hour and 11 minutes.

Post-match, Muralidhar expressed her excitement, stating, "It was a challenging match against the top seed, but I enjoyed the experience. Having my coach present was definitely an advantage. Competing at the Fenesta Open for the first time has been a great experience."

Advancements and Upsets in Other Matches

Second seed Tanusshri Sathesh and third seed Aaradhya Meena both advanced to the third round with ease, losing only three games combined. However, fourth seed Aashi Kashyap and sixth seed Harsha Oruganti were eliminated after tough three-set matches.

Ribhav Saroha, who recently clinched the Boys U-18 singles title, continued his winning streak by moving into the third round of the Boys U-16 event, defeating Rhunmaan Mahesh 6-2, 6-2 in 1 hour and 22 minutes.

Joining Saroha in the next round were second seed Lakshya Chukka and third seed Paranjay Siwach, while fifth seed Divey Malk faced an upset against Parthiv Nallagundla.

Boys U-14 and Girls U-14 Highlights

In the Boys U-14 category, top seed Aarav Challani secured a straightforward victory over Rajishnu Poptani with a score of 6-1, 6-1. Challani reflected on his performance, saying, "It was a solid match. My opponent fought well, and I’m pleased with my play. I aim for the title but am taking it one match at a time."

Second seed Puneeth Manohar led a group of nine seeded players who won their opening matches in the Boys U-14 event. Meanwhile, in the Girls U-14 category, top seed Sarena Gahlot, second seed Siddhi Pandey, and third seed Zoha Qureshi all progressed to the next round.

Match Results Summary

In the Boys U-16 singles second round, notable results included:

Ribhav Saroha (1) def. Rhunmaan Mahesh 6-2, 6-2
Lakshya Chukka (2) def. Aarav Patel 6-1, 6-2
Paranjay Siwach (3) def. Tanish Dasari 6-4, 7-5
Parthiv Nallagundla def. Divey Malik (5) 7-6 (7-2), 6-0

In the Girls U-16 singles second round, results included:

Unnathi Muralidhar def. Deepthi Venkatesan (1) 6-2, 6-2
Tanusshri Sathesh (2) def. Sanidya Karantoth 6-1, 6-1
Aaradhya Meena (3) def. N Krishnaprabhu 6-0, 6-1

The competition continues to showcase emerging talent and thrilling matches.