Maharashtra Open: Yuki Bhambri Comes From Behind To Win First Round
NDTV
Maharashtra Open: Yuki Bhambri defeated Jozef Kovalik to win his first round match.
India's Yuki Bhambri registered a sensational come-from-behind win over Jozef Kovalik of Slovakia in the men's singles opening round of the Tata Open Maharashtra tennis tournament on Monday. The 29-year-old Indian, who started directly in the main draw in South Asia's only ATP 250 meet, secured a 6-7 (10), 6-2, 7-5 win in his opener. After losing the hard-fought first set, the former junior world number one, who made a comeback in the international circuit recently after a two-year break due to an injury, started the second with 2-0 lead and looked in good touch.
He didn't let the momentum shift before bagging the set easily and levelling the scores.
In the decider, the Delhi-born player converted a break point to take the scores at 3-3 and then added one more set point to keep himself ahead in the game.
Though the 29-year-old Slovakian tried his best to make a comeback into the contest, Bhambri held his nerves and clinched the decider to advance into the second round.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran is the other Indian who will be in action in the singles main draw later on Monday. He will take on fifth-seed German Daniel Altmaier.
Australia entered the semifinals of the Champions Trophy after their crucial Group B clash against Afghanistan was called off due to rain in Lahore on Friday.