Karthik Upsets Kamboj; Top Seeds Reach Fenesta Open Quarters
Pranav Karthik staged a stunning comeback to defeat 4th seed Udit Kamboj at the Fenesta Open, while top seeds Sureshkumar and Chaudhari cruised ahead.
In a thrilling display of resilience at the 31st Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship, 21-year-old Pranav Karthik pulled off a massive upset on Wednesday by defeating the fourth seed, Udit Kamboj. After looking completely outmatched in the opening set, the Tamil Nadu player staged a remarkable comeback to secure his place in the quarterfinals.
Karthik's Gritty Comeback
The match began in a nightmare fashion for Karthik, as Kamboj dominated the first set with a clinical 6-1 victory. As the second set progressed, the intensity surged, pushing the contest into a high-stakes tiebreak. Karthik managed to edge out the tiebreak 7-3, providing the psychological boost needed to overhaul his opponent.
Carrying that newfound momentum into the decider, Karthik refused to let Kamboj find his rhythm. After a grueling two-hour and 31-minute battle, Karthik claimed the final set 6-2 to complete the comeback, winning 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.
“To be honest, I was thinking I was going to lose for sure after the horrible first set,” Karthik admitted following his victory. He noted that maintaining his service games and securing a crucial break in the first game of the third set allowed him to pull away from Kamboj.
Top Seeds Dominate the Court
While Karthik provided the drama, the tournament's top seeds ensured their progression with much more composed performances. In the men's singles, top seed Manish Sureshkumar delivered a masterclass, dismantling Lakshit Sood with a lopsided 6-0, 6-1 scoreline.
Sureshkumar will face competition in the quarterfinals from a field that includes:
- Maan Kesharwani: The 6th seed, who defeated Rohith Gobinath.
- Rohan Mehra: The 8th seed, who overcame Ajay Malik.
- Suraj Prabodh: The underdog who previously knocked out second seed Aditya Balsekar.
In the women's draw, the top five seeds all successfully booked their quarterfinal berths. Top seed Vaidehee Chaudhari moved forward with a 6-4, 6-1 win over 16-year-old Aahan Aahan. Meanwhile, second seed Shruti Ahlawat secured her spot by defeating Parthsarthi Mundhe 6-2, 6-3, despite noting that the match was far more difficult than the scoreline suggested.
Third seed Akanksha Nitture also showed great mental fortitude, recovering from a lost second set to defeat Yubrani Banerjee 6-1, 4-6, 6-1. Nitture credited her success to a tactical reset in the final set, focusing on consistency and mindfulness.
Upset in Boys U-18 Category
The upsets were not limited to the senior draws. In the Boys U-18 singles, top seed Praneel Sharma suffered a setback, falling to Veer Jiten Madam in straight sets, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. Madam joins fourth seed Om Ramesh Patel and fifth seed Aditya Mor in the next round.
The Girls U-18 category saw a marathon encounter where top seed Savitha Bhuvaneswaran was pushed to her limits by 14th seed Aahida Singh. After a grueling 2-hour and 45-minute battle, Singh was forced to retire with Bhuvaneswaran leading 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-0.