$25K Men's ITF Uzbekistan - April 2017

[bujilover]

A couple of $25K ITFs in Uzbekistan and we have Bala, Vishnu and VSP in the main draw entry list. Let's see if they one of them gets a title here after the Indian ITF exploits.

WEEK 1 @ BUKHARA:

1 Dmitry POPKO (KAZ) 205 1
2 Vladyslav MANAFOV (UKR) 334 1
3 N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) 350 1
4 Dzmitry ZHYRMONT (BLR) 361 1
5 Sanjar FAYZIEV (UZB) 379 1
6 Egor GERASIMOV (BLR) 404 1
7 Temur ISMAILOV (UZB) 408 1
8 Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) 410 1
9 Vladimir IVANOV (EST) 443 2
10 Andriej KAPAS (POL) 448 1
11 Miki JANKOVIC (SRB) 453 1
12 Maxim DUBARENCO (BLR) 481 1
13 Evgeny TYURNEV (RUS) 518 1
14 Nikola CACIC (SRB) 527 1
15 N. Vijay Sundar PRASHANTH (IND) 542 1
16 Markos KALOVELONIS (RUS) 582 1
17 Vadym URSU (UKR) 666 1
18 Alexander LOBKOV (RUS) 721 3

[arjun2761]

Good luck to them! Interestingly, Balaji has won 3 futures outside India compared to one each for Vishnu and Prajnesh...

[sameerph]

VSP withdrew from these series of futures. So, only Balaji and Vishnu were in the main draw entry lists. However, Shahbaz Khan qualified for the main draw.

At $25K Uzbekistan F1 futures, Bukhara

[Q1] (1) Shahbaaz KHAN (IND) BYE
[Q2] (1) Shahbaaz KHAN (IND) d. Anton DJAMALOV (UZB) 61 62

In the main draw, Balaji started with an impressive straight sets win over Jankovic who seems to be returning from more than 6 months injury break and was ranked in top 300 before that.

[R1] (3) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND,316) d. Miki JANKOVIC (SRB,488) 64 63

[R1] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) vs. Sergey BETOV (BLR,783)

[R1] (Q) Shahbaaz KHAN (IND,1188) vs. (Q) Roman BLOKHIN (RUS,NR)

[sameerph]

Vishnu won his match but Shahbaz lost.

At $25K Uzbekistan F1 futures, Bukhara

[R1] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) d. Sergey BETOV (BLR,783) 63 46 64

[R1] (Q) Shahbaaz KHAN (IND,1188) l. (Q) Roman BLOKHIN (RUS,NR) 67(4) 36

Next,

[R2] (3) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND,316) vs. Vadym URSU (UKR,730)

[R2] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) vs. Nikola CACIC (SRB,517)

[Rajiv]

After his good showing in DC was expecting a lot from Balaji but went down in a disappointing fashion to a much lower ranked player in straight sets 5-7 , 2-6 , and Vishnu meanwhile won his match 7-5 , 6-2.

[sameerph]

Yes, disappointing loss for Balaji.

[R2] (3) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND,316) l. Vadym URSU (UKR,730) 67(3) 26

[R2] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) d. Nikola CACIC (SRB,517) 75 62

Also, Balaji and Vishnu have reached the doubles SF.

[R1] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) d. Alexander LOBKOV (RUS) / Sardor PULATOV (UZB) 61 16 11-9
[QF] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) d. Temur ISMAILOV (UZB) / Markos KALOVELONIS (RUS) 71 76(2)

Next,

[QF] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) vs. Markos KALOVELONIS (RUS,572)

[SF] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) vs. (3) Denis MATSUKEVITCH (RUS) / Dmitry POPKO (KAZ)

[jaydeep]

Vishnu failed to keep momentum after winning the first set and lost the match.

[QF] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,395) l Markos KALOVELONIS (RUS,572) 61 36 46

[Varma]

Vishnu should do something to give serious shot at a doubles career. I know it is very hard to get a steady partner and get to the next level, but there is no point in retiring as a perennial journeyman. He certainly has potential to be a better doubles player. A lot better than where he is ranked at. Him and Balaji could make a good pair. At 27, Balaji is not a spring chicken either.

- Varma

[sameerph]

Agreed, As of now Vishnu and Balaji have reached yet another futures final.

[SF] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) d. (3) Denis MATSUKEVITCH (RUS) / Dmitry POPKO (KAZ) 64 63

Next,

[F] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) vs. (1) Sergey BETOV (BLR) / Vladyslav MANAFOV (UKR)

[PKBasu]

Vishnu and Balaji have been reluctant to make the leap from Futures to Challengers, helped by the fact that there have been so many home Futures this year. But at least for the sake of doubles, they need to make that transition now.

[prasen9]

And Vishnu and Balaji's rankings are in the similar range. So, they could potentially play qualies or challengers singles and doubles together.

[sameerph]

And they win another doubles title together.

[F] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) d. (1) Sergey BETOV (BLR) / Vladyslav MANAFOV (UKR) 64 75

This is their 5th title together this year and overall 12th title together in last 2 years when they first got together. They should really be playing challenger doubles together. They are both close to top 200 in doubles ranking and should get in most of the lower level challengers at least.

[sameerph]

Another disappointing first round loss for Balaji.

At $25K Uzbekistan F2 Futures, Karshi

[R1] (3) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND,315) l. Nikola CACIC (SRB,519) 36 46

[R1] Shahbaaz KHAN (IND,1240) l. (Q) Daniiar DULDAEV (KZG,2001) 36 36

[R1] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,391) d. (Q) Timur KHABIBULIN (UZB,1261) 63 62

Next,

[R2] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,391) vs. (Q) Daniiar DULDAEV (KZG,2001)

[sameerph]

Vishnu is thru to singles QF but after a hard fought win over a lowly ranked player.

At $25K Uzbekistan F2 Futures, Karshi

[R2] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,391) d. (Q) Daniiar DULDAEV (KZG,2001) 26 76(3) 63

Vishnu and Balaji are thru to the doubles SF again.

[R1] N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) [2] 6-7(4) 7-6(5) [10-8] Temur ISMAILOV (UZB) / Markos KALOVELONIS (RUS)
[QF] N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) [2] 6-3 6-4 Nikola CACIC (SRB) / Miki JANKOVIC (SRB)

Next,

[QF] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,391) vs. Nikola CACIC (SRB,519)

[SF] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) vs. (4) Vladimir IVANOV (EST) / Dzmitry ZHYRMONT (BLR)

Vishnu beat the Serbian Cacic last week but Cacik beat Balaji here in first round.

[sameerph]

Vishnu lost this time against Cacic but Vishnu and Balaji are into yet another doubles final.

At $25K Uzbekistan F2 Futures, Karshi

[QF] (7) Vishnu VARDHAN (IND,391) l. Nikola CACIC (SRB,519) 26 46

[SF] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) d. (4) Vladimir IVANOV (EST) / Dzmitry ZHYRMONT (BLR) 47 76(2) 10-5

Next,

[F] (2) N.Sriram BALAJI (IND) / Vishnu VARDHAN (IND) vs. (3) Sanjar FAYZIEV (UZB) / Timur KHABIBULIN (KAZ)