Pune: India’s wildcard entries Manas Dhamne and Aryan Shah lost in the first round whereas unseeded Khumoyun Sultanov and Jurij Rodionov pulled off upsets against seeded players in the first round of Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Men’s Tennis Championship, here on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Shah could not make an impact against sixth-seeded and 153-ranked Brandon Holt of the USA, the son of former world No 1 Tracy Austin.
Holt recorded a 6-2, 6-2 win against Aryan Shah in one hour and 12 minutes.
However, in a close match lasting over an hour and 42 minutes, top-seeded and 110-ranked Billy Harris from Great Britain quelled the challenge 17-year-old Dhamne, winning 6-4, 6-4.
Dhamne started well with a break and led 2-0 in the first set but Harris broke the Indian twice in the first set and once in the second to make it to the second round.
Uzbekistan’s Sultanov carved out the biggest upset of the day ousting third seed and finalist of the last year’s edition, Tristan Schoolkate of Australia, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Austria’s Rodionov lost the first set despite firing eight aces but managed to take the next two sets to score a comeback win against 168-ranked and 21-year-old seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki of Japan 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2.SPORTSPUNE
