Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 21 : Top seeds Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth kept the Indian flag high reaching the doubles finals, while sixth-seeded Brandon Holt of USA upset top-seeded Billy Harris of Great Britain to enter the last four of the singles at the Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Men's Tennis Championship organized by Maharashtra State Lawn tennis Association (MSLTA) on Friday.
This competition is being organised in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services Govt of Maharashtra, PCMC, PMC and PMDTA at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium.
In the singles semifinals scheduled for 10:45 am, it will be a contest between unseeded players Khumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan and Dalibor Svrcina of the Czech Republic while sixth-seeded Brandon Holt of USA will clash with eighth-seeded Alexis Galarneau of Canada, as per an MSLTA press release.
Top-seeded Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Vijay Sundar Prashanth of India kept the Indian interest going as they put out the pair of Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Courtney John Lock of Zimbabwe 7-6(5),6-3. They will take on second seeds Australians Blake Bayldon and Matthew Christopher Romios who edged out Jay Clarke of Britain and Jurij Rodionov of Austria 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 in the other semifinals.
In the biggest upset of the day, sixth-seeded Brandon Holt of the USA took 1 hour 59 minutes to upset top-seeded Billy Harris of Great Britain 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Holt who advanced to his third semifinals of the season will take on eighth-seeded Alexis Galarneau of Canada who stopped the good run of last year's winner Valentin Vacherot of Monaco 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in a match lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes
Unseeded Khumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan kept his cool and form to upset fifth-seeded Ugo Blanchet of France 6-0, 6-2 in just under an hour. He will take on Czech Republic's Dalibor Svrcina who ended the run of qualifier Ilia Simakin 6-1, 6-3 in the other quarterfinals.
Results: Main Draw: Quarterfinal Round:
[6] Brandon Holt (USA) bt [1] Billy Harris (GBR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4;
Khumoyun Sultanov (UZB) bt [5] Ugo Blanchet (FRA) 6-0, 6-2;
[8] Alexis Galarneau (CAN) bt Valentin Vacherot (MON) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3);
Dalibor Svrcina (CZE) bt [Q] Ilia Simakin 6-1, 6-3;
Doubles: Quarterfinal Round:
[1] Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) bt Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) / Courtney John Lock (ZIM) 7-6 (5), 6-3
[2] Blake Bayldon (AUS) / Matthew Christopher Romios (AUS) bt Jay Clarke(GBR) /Jurij Rodionov(AUT) 6-3, 3-6, 10-5.
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