Sureshkumar and Sinha to Clash in Fenesta Open Semi-Finals
Top seed Manish Sureshkumar and Nitin Sinha secure semi-final spots at the Fenesta Open, setting up a high-stakes clash.
Defending champion and top seed Manish Sureshkumar and his doubles partner Nitin Sinha are set to face off in a high-octane semi-final clash at the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship. After grueling battles on Thursday, both players secured their spots in the final four, with Sureshkumar also advancing to the doubles final.
Sureshkumar Battles Back from the Brink
In a marathon encounter that tested his physical limits, Manish Sureshkumar overcame a significant deficit to defeat Parth Aggarwal. The top seed was forced to fight through four sets, ultimately winning 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 to secure his victory. The match lasted nearly three hours, with Sureshkumar admitting to physical exhaustion during the contest.
"I think I started feeling a little weak physically," Sureshkumar remarked following his intense victory. "There was no energy in the legs. I was somehow trying to push myself and try to do my best. I was also down in the third set, but I'm glad that I was able to find a way and get through."
Nitin Sinha Secures Semi-Final Berth
Nitin Sinha, who will face Sureshkumar in the singles semi-finals, showcased immense focus to overcome No. 8 seed Rohan Mehra. Sinha claimed a 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 victory in a match lasting 2 hours and 22 minutes. Sinha noted that the match was characterized by significant momentum shifts in both sets.
The duo also demonstrated seamless coordination in the doubles category, securing a straight-sets victory over the pair of Jagmeet Singh and Parth Aggarwal. This win guarantees Sureshkumar and Sinha a place in the doubles final scheduled for tomorrow, where they will face Srikar Doni and Rohith Gobinath.
Women's Draw: Chaudhari and Ahlawat Advance
In the women's singles, two-time Fenesta Open winner and top seed Vaidehee Chaudhari showed her resilience by overcoming Aditi Rawat. Despite a setback in the second set, Chaudhari won 6-0, 1-6, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals. She will next face No. 4 seed Sonal Patil.
The second women's semi-final will feature No. 2 seed Shruti Ahlawat against unseeded Soha Sadiq. Ahlawat moved forward with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Sohini Mohanty, while Sadiq advanced after third seed Akanksha Nitture was forced to retire due to an upper-limb spasm.
U-18 Category: Upsets and Rising Stars
The Girls U-18 category witnessed a major upset as seventh seed Aahan Aahan knocked out top seed Savitha Bhuvaneswari with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. Meanwhile, in the Boys U-18 singles, fourth seed Om Ramesh Patel and 15th seed Yashwin Dahiya emerged as the highest seeds to reach the semi-finals, joining unseeded players Srikar Doni and Ribhav Saroha.
The U-18 doubles finals are also finalized:
- Boys U-18: Praneel Sharma/Aditya Mor vs. Raghav Sarode/Om Ramesh Patel
- Girls U-18: Sree Syleswari Velmanikandan/Riddhi Shinde vs. Sanmitha Harini/Savitha Bhuvaneswaran