$75K(+H) Karshi/Samarkand Challengers, May 7-20 2018

[sameerph]

Mukund is down a break 1-3 in the second set though. He saved 2 breakpoints from 15-40 down but lost the next 2 points. Some good defensive play by Ilkel on the last point. He has raised his game in this set and Mukund will have to match up.

And another break from Ilkel and he takes the second set 6-2. Mukund looking a little tired towards the end and Ilkel has raised his game hitting 3 aces in one service game after no aces in match till that time.

[sameerph]

It is 2-2 in the third set with both players fighting hard.

Still on serve at 3-3. Mukund has 11 aces so far in this match which is bailing him out from time to time.

Damn, serving at 3-4, Mukund got broken from 40-15 up and Illkel served it out at love.

At $75K+H Karshi Challenger 2018, Uzbekistan

[QF] (Q) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND, 422) l. Cem Ilkel (TUR, 258) 63 26 36

It did seem that Mukund's shots lost a bit of sting towards the end. Perhaps tiredness set us in playing his sixth match in 6 days. Playing qualies and going thru to the main draw at challengers is a big effort. Hopefully, Mukund gets his ranking up into top 300 soon so that he can get in most of the main draws of challengers.

[bujilover]

Sumit Nagal withdraws from Samarkand. Let’s hope Saki plays Singles here.

[vishalg]

Sumit Nagal withdraws from Samarkand. Let’s hope Saki plays Singles here.

He isn't in the qualifying draw.
Khade is 4th seed, expected to meet 6th seed Mukund in final qualifying round.

[bujilover]

Sumit Nagal withdraws from Samarkand. Let’s hope Saki plays Singles here.

He isn't in the qualifying draw.
Khade is 4th seed, expected to meet 6th seed Mukund in final qualifying round.

Not sure if he received a main draw wildcard here? Arjun vs Mukund in FQR would be a treat if both get there.

[sameerph]

Looks difficult for Saki to get a main draw wild card. Let us see. Else, it is surprising to see him play only doubles here and not singles.

6 Indians in the qualifying draw here - Mukund, Arjun, Balaji, Vishnu,Sid Rawat and VSP. I would have ideally liked our 2 best players in qualies- Mukund and Arjun to be in different quarters of the draw so that both would have had a chance to qualify.

[bujilover]

Saki is not in the main draw

[sameerph]

Saki is not in the main draw

Has he decided to specialise in doubles now ?

Decent day in singles qualifying for us wit 4 out of 6 wins.

At $75K(+H) Samarkand Challenger, Uzbekistan (Clay)

[Q1] (8) Vijay Sunder Prashanth (IND,469) d. (WC) Pavel Tsoy (UZB,1072) 64 61
[Q1] Vishnu Vardhan (IND,685) l. (2) Roman Safiulin (RUS,385) 26 67(6)
[Q1] N. Sriram Balaji (IND,549) d. (7) Vladyslav Manafov (UKR,468) 64 76(5)
[Q1] (4) Arjun Kadhe (IND,400) d. Vladimir Ivanov (EST,712) 46 76(4) 76(6)
[Q1] Siddharth Rawat (IND,512) l. Mikhail Fufygin (RUS,575) 36 67(7)
[Q1] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,422) d. Shuichi Sekiguchi (JPN,515) 64 76(5)

Next,

[Q2] (8) Vijay Sunder Prashanth (IND,469) vs. Khumoyon Sultanov (UZB,844)
[Q2] N. Sriram Balaji (IND,549) vs. Mikhail Elgin (RUS,837)
[Q2] (4) Arjun Kadhe (IND,400) vs. Manual Pana Lopez (ARG,630)
[Q2] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,422) vs. Mikhail Fufygin (RUS,575)

[bujilover]

Too early to speculate that, Sameer. It could be any reason. The last time he played on clay is at the French Open 2016, maybe he did not want to play 3 Q matches.

[prasen9]

Maybe he is not match-fit for singles?

[jaydeep]

Vishnu-Bala r facing Italian pair ... Saki-VSP r facing French-Czech pair.

At $75K+H Samarkand Challenger 2018, Uzbekistan

[R1] (1) N. Sriram Balaji (IND)/ Vishnu Vardhan (IND) vs Andrea Basso (ITA)/ Luca Vanni (ITA)
[R1] (3) Saketh Myneni (IND)/ Vijay Sunder Prashanth (IND) vs Marek Gengel (CZE)/ Tristan Lamasine (FRA)

[jaydeep]

Our only two players managed to complete their matches in rain interruption ... VSP lost one sided match against lower ranked Uzbek player, but Bala moved into the final qualifying with straight sets win.

[Q2] (8) N. Vijay Sunder Prashanth (IND,469) l Khumoyon Sultanov (UZB,844) 46 36
[Q2] N. Sriram Balaji (IND,549) bt Mikhail Elgin (RUS,837) 63 76(4)

[bujilover]

Owing to rains, they could only finish 3 matches on Sunday.

[Q2] (4) Arjun Kadhe (IND,400) 4-6 3-6 Manual Pana Lopez (ARG,630)
[Q2] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,422) 5-7 6-1 6-2 Mikhail Fufygin (RUS,575)

[FQR] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,422) vs. Manual Pana Lopez (ARG,630)
[FQR] Sriram BALAJI (IND,549) vs. (3) Tristan LAMASINE (FRA,395)

Balaji and Mukund will play their FQR matches tomorrow.

[sameerph]

Mukund lost to the Argentine in the final qualifying round but Balaji qualified for the main draw with another very good win.

At $75K+H Samarkand Challenger 2018, Uzbekistan

[FQR] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,422) l. Manual Pana Lopez (ARG,630) 46 67(5)

[FQR] Sriram BALAJI (IND,549) d. (3) Tristan LAMASINE (FRA,395) 61 75

We were expected to get 1 qualifier from among of Mukund and Arjun. Unfortunately, the Argentine proved too good for both on clay. Mukund has played a lot of matched too over last 2 weeks. So, would have been getting tired too.

[sameerph]

Balaji had to come back and play his first round match today itself-

[R1] Sriram BALAJI (IND,549) vs. Filip Hornasky (SVK,338) 06 64 33 - match suspended to resume tomorrow

It was a strange match where it looked like Balaji did not have anything left in the tank playing second match of the day losing the first set 0-6 and was down a double break 1-4 in the second set. Then, suddenly Balaji came to life to win the next 9 games , winning the second set 6-4 and getting up 3-0 in the third set. But, Hornasky again made a comeback to get it to 3-3.

Balaji will have a lot of work tomorrow too. If he wins the unfinished match tomorrow, he will have to play the second round tomorrow and then 2 rounds of doubles.