ATP Tata Open (Pune), January 2019

[PKBasu]

Terrific comeback win for Ramkumar. He ran away nicely with that final set, and I hope he carries that momentum into the next round, where he plays late-blooming 4th seed Malek Jaziri (TUN, 45).

[PKBasu]

Inspired by RamK, Arjun was up 3-1 against Djere, but it’s back on serve now, Arjun up 5-4, Djere serving to stay in the set.

[PKBasu]

Arjun lost the first set 5-7

[PKBasu]

Arjun fought hard, but he lost the second set in a tiebreak: 6-7(6).

He is now ranked 180 in doubles after making the QF in doubles here with Bala -- after a big upset win over the second seeds. Still shy of his career-high of 166, but doubles is clearly where Arjun is likeliest to succeed.

[sameerph]

RamK wins the first set 76(6).

Close set where both players had chances to close out the set earlier. RamK has again started slicing his backhand today after playing so many excellent top spin backhands yesterday.Anand Amritraj is not liking it on commentary and neither do I. Hope he gets to his yesterday's bachand and closes it out in straight sets.

[sameerph]

Damn, in the second set tie break RamK loses from 5-7 after being 3-0 up.

It is all square at 76(6) 67(5).

It us 12.45 here in India and need to go to sleep now.

[PKBasu]

Ramkumar loses to 4th seeded Jaziri after a valiant fight, 76(6) 67(5) 36.

[RohitG]

Absolutely gifted the match to a guy who barely managed to keep his first serve in. He was serving very well throughout the match and had multiple break opportunities in the second set.. that backhand slice was a nightmare by itself

[Rajiv]

If anyone has observed Jaziri, his major weapon is slicing and uses it frequently ,and to counter that Ram had to use the slice , The fast paced backspin surprised the Tunisian who really had to bend low for his slices and when his returns came, they were high on the net as he had to scoop the low ball and Ram was there at the net to finish or smash the high ball, and this was one of the factors which helped Ram take the first set and almost the second set and the match in which he had started with break's in the set and also in the TB.

Ram also very effectively used his backhand slice as a rallying ball in the entire match against Jiri Vesely 2 months ago and everyone know's what was the result.

The man deserves an rich applause,and almost made it in straight sets for shocking win ,in the end only the experience of being world #45 made the difference in the final outcome.

[sameerph]

I would say disappointing for RamK not to pull off that upset win. Jaziri was on and off with his game, playing some brilliant tennis but also making lot of errors. RamK was serving really well. His volleys were also top class and he was not serving and volleying on every point as he used to do in many matches in 2018. I feel even if he had used that backhand slice to counter Jaziri, it should have been used a surprise and not as a rallying ball. He hardly used the topspin backhand at all, a shot he had used so well against Granollers.

This was a great chance missed to go deep in the tournament as he would have met Steve Darcis in the QF who is coming back after a long injury break.

[Rajiv]

This was a great chance missed to go deep in the tournament as he would have met Steve Darcis in the QF who is coming back after a long injury break.

And after QF could have been Heyong Chung in semis and the 2nd seed is already knocked out , missed a golden opportunity to go deep

[PKBasu]

Dogfight going on Between Indian Express III and LP/MAR. RB/DS have saved 7 of 7 break chances, LP/partner 3 of 3 in the first set. 3-3 in the TB!

[PKBasu]

LP/Miguel ran away with it from that point, winning theTB 7-4.

[jaydeep]

In end what a match between Rohan-Divij and Lee-Miguel, which lasted for more than 1 hour and 45 minutes ... Rohan and Divij scored a memorable comeback win after losing the first set ... They won 32 points long the match tie-break, where both pairs had their chances ... In the semis, they r facing experienced players pairing of Dodig and Bolelli.

[QF] (1) Rohan Bopanna (IND)/ Divij Sharan (IND) bt Leander Paes (IND)/ Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela (MEX) 67(4) 64 17-15

[QF] (1) Rohan Bopanna (IND)/ Divij Sharan (IND) vs Simone Bolelli (ITA)/ Ivan Dodig (CRO)

[PKBasu]

A befitting humdinger at the end of the day in Pune. Leander still has it in him at 45+, although Indian Express III pulled it off in the end.