India’s Yuki Bhambri registered a sensational come-from-behind win over Jozef Kovalik of Slovakia in the singles opening round of the Tata Open Maharashtra tennis tournament here on Monday. The 29-year-old Indian secured a 6-7(10), 6-2, 7-5 win in his opener.
The revival
After losing a hard-fought first set, Yuki took a 2-0 lead in the second. He didn’t let the momentum shift, taking the set 6-2.
In the decider, the Indian converted a break point to make it 3-3 and nosed ahead 4-3. Though the 29-year-old Slovakian tried his best to make a comeback, Yuki held his nerve to win the third set 7-5.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran, however, lost to the fifth-seeded Daniel Altmaier 6-7(5), 2-6. After putting up a fight in the opening set, when he stretched the German to a tie-breaker, the Indian fell apart in the second.
Earlier, France’s Quentin Halys packed off World No. 82 Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania with a stunning 6-1, 6-2 win. In another match, Moldovan Radu Albot overcame a tough challenge from Italy’s Federico Gaio in the second set before registering a 6-2, 7-6(3) victory.
The results (first round, Indians unless mentioned): Yuki Bhambri bt Jozef Kovalik (Svk) 6-7(10), 6-2, 7-5; Daniel Altmaier (Ger) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran 7-6(5), 6-2; Quentin Halys (Fra) bt Ricardas Berankis (Ltu) 6-1, 6-2; Radu Albot (MDA) bt Federico Gaio (Ita) 6-2, 7-6(3).
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