It was a good start for the Indian men in the US Open doubles competition with Rohan Bopanna, Yuki Bhambri and Sriram Balaji all winning their first-round matches with their respective partners.
Bopanna and Australia’s Matt Ebden, the second seeds who reached the final here in New York 12 months ago, defeated Robin Haase/ Sander Arends 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday. This was the first win for the Indo-Aussie duo on the U.S. hardcourt swing after early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. Bopanna/ Ebden advance to face Roberto Carballes Baena/ Federico Coria for a place in the third round.
Bhambri, Balaji score maiden US Open doubles wins
On Wednesday, Bhambri and French partner Albano Olivetti reached the second round with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over American wildcard duo Ryan Seggerman/ Patrik Trhac. This was Bhambri’s first US Open main draw doubles win. The Indo-French duo will next face 15th seed Austin Krajicek/ Jean-Julien Rojer, both of whom are former Grand Slam doubles champions.
Sriram Balaji, partnering Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi, had the toughest time of the three Indians in making it to the second round. The Indo-Argentine duo lost the first set of their match against Marcus Daniell/ Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela before coming through in a third set tiebreak 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 (12-10). This was also Balaji’s first main draw doubles win at the US Open. Up next for Balaji/ Andreozzi are the eighth seeds Neal Skupski/ Michael Venus, both also former Grand Slam doubles champions.
Meanwhile, in the first round of the boys singles qualifying event, India’s Rethin Pranav Senthil Kumar advanced to the second round when fourth seed Niels McDonald retired while trailing 3-0 in the first set. Senthil Kumar, playing his first-ever junior Grand Slam, will next face American wildcard Keaton Hance with the winner advancing to the main draw.
India’s top-ranked men’s player Sumit Nagal bowed out of the US Open singles event after a straight-sets loss to world No 40 Tallon Griekspoor, of the Netherlands.
Griekspoor started off the match on a strong note, winning the first two sets 6-1 and 6-3 before Nagal was able to put up a tougher challenge in the third set. The Indian got the first break of the third set in the 11th game to lead 6-5 and served for the set.
However, the Dutchman broke back right away to take the set into a tiebreaker. Nagal led 6-4 and earned himself two set points. However, a forehand error from the Indian and a service winner from Griekspoor levelled the tiebreak at 6-6. The Dutchman then went the next two points to close out the win 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (10-8) in two hours and 10 minutes on Court 15 at Flushing Meadows.
Insert sub-heading: Nagal’s doubles partner Nishioka forced to retire from first round singles clash
Griekspoor will go on to play 21st seed Sebastian Baez in the second round while Nagal will focus his efforts on the men’s doubles event where he is partnering with Yoshihito Nishioka. However, Nishioka was forced to retire during the fifth set of his first-round match and it remains to be seen if he will be fit to take the court for the first round doubles encounter, likely to take place on Wednesday or Thursday.
This was Nagal’s third appearance in the US Open main draw (now 1-3 record here) and marked the first time that the 27-year-old Indian has competed in the main draw of all the four Grand Slams in the same season.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Haresh Ramchandani
