Mexico Challengers April 2022

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There have been 3 weeks of challengers in Mexico where some of our players have been playing. Last week Mukund lost in first round of qualies and Divij lost in doubles first round.

This week Jeevan too joins there and next week Prajnesh is in singles entry list. So, opening a thread for this. Last week and this week on clay, next week is on hard courts.

Mukund started with an easy win in Q1 this week.

At Aguascalientes Challenger 80, Mexico (Clay)

[Q1] (10) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,391) d. Aziz Dougaz (TUN,419) 61 61

Next,

[Q2] (10) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,391) vs. Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN,429)

Doubles-

[R1] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) vs. . Boris Arias (BOL) / Federico Zaballos (BOL) - repeat of last week's first round where Divij and Goncalo lost

[R1] (4) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) vs. Mateus Alves (BRA) / Ernsto Escobedo (USA)

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Mukund played well but lost against 2019 Wilmbledon junior champions from Japan.

At Aguascalientes Challenger 80, Mexico (Clay)

[Q2] (10) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,391) l. Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN,429) 67(5) 36

Mukund was up 5-2 in first set and had 2 set points at 5-4, 40-15 on Mochizuki serve but Mochizuki served 3 aces at that point of time. So, not much can be faulted with Mukund. Mochizuki appears a real talent. I think Mukund played the best I have seen him play in some time.

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Both Jeevan and Divij win their first round matches.

R1] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) d. Boris Arias (BOL) / Federico Zaballos (BOL) 76(7) 26 10-5

[R1] (4) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) d. (Alt) Juan Pablo Ficovich (ARG) / Matias Zukas (ARG) 64 62

Next,

[QF] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) vs. Benjamin Lock (ZIM) / Skander Mansouri (TUN)

[QF] (4) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) vs. Jay Clarke (GBR) / Tim Van Rijthoven (NED)

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Divij is now thru to the final this week and Jeevan will play his SF later in the day.

At Aguascalientes Challenger 80, Mexico (Clay)

[QF] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) d. Benjamin Lock (ZIM) / Skander Mansouri (TUN) 76(5) 63

[QF] (4) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) d. Jay Clarke (GBR) / Tim Van Rijthoven (NED) 64 64

[SF] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) d. (2) Andrej Martin (SVK) / Tristian-Samuel Weissborn (AUT) 64 67(2) 10-4

Jeevan with his partner play the top seeds in the SF.

Divij reached his first challenger final since July 2020. Good to see him getting some success after long time.

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Jeevan lost in the SF.

At Aguascalientes Challenger 80, Mexico (Clay)

[SF] (4) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) l. (1) Nicolas Barrientos (COL) / Miguel Angel Reyas-Varela
(MEX) 46 64 2-10

Next,

[F] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) vs. 1) Nicolas Barrientos (COL) / Miguel Angel Reyas-Varela (MEX)

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They lost in the final.

At Aguascalientes Challenger 80, Mexico (Clay)

[F] (3) Divij Sharan (IND) / Goncalo Oliviera (POR) l. (1) Nicolas Barrientos (COL) / Miguel Angel Reyas-Varela (MEX) 57 36

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Saketh came close to upsetting the top seed in first round of qualies but fell short but Mukund lost in straights sets.

At Morelos Challenger 80, Mexico (Hard)

[Q1] Saketh Myneni (IND,632) l. (1) J. C. Aragone (USA,348) 36 64 46

[Q2] (6) Sasi Kumar Mukund (IND,404) l. Fajing Sun (CHN,614) 57 26

Yuki was there in the qualifying entry list but was out only by a couple of spots in the end. Only if he had earned a few points from ITF events or Bangalore challenger earlier, he would have got to play some qualies at least here with his regular ranking.

In main draw singles-

[R1] Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND,271) vs. Calivn Hemery (FRA,349)

Doubles-

[R1] (1) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) vs. Nicolas Meija (COL) / Roberto Quiroz (ECU)

[R1] Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) vs. Juan Pablo Ficovich (ARG) / Matias Zukas (ARG)

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Prajnesh starts with a 3 set win.

At Morelos Challenger 80, Mexico (Hard)

[R1] Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND,271) d. Calivn Hemery (FRA,349) 76(10) 46 63

He will be up against top seed next.

[R2] Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND,271) vs. (1) Ernesto Escobedo (USA,141)

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Prajnesh lost in second round against top seed. Yuki-Saketh win their first round doubles but Jeevan got upset.

At Morelos Challenger 80, Mexico (Hard)

[R2] Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND,271) l. (1) Ernesto Escobedo (USA,141) 67(2) 46


[R1] (1) Jeevan Neduncheziyan (IND) / Luis David Martinez (VEN) l. Nicolas Meija (COL) / Roberto Quiroz (ECU) 36 46

[R1] Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) d. Juan Pablo Ficovich (ARG) / Matias Zukas (ARG) 63 62

Next,

[QF] Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) vs. (4) Skander Mansouri (TUN) / Michail Pervolarakis (GRE)

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[QF] Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) d. 4-Skander Mansouri (TUN) / Michail Pervolarakis (GRE) 63 76(5)

Yuki has moved up to 305 in the live doubles rankings. This week, he didn't have to use his PR to get into the main draw. Saketh has moved up to 180 in the live rankings, just ahead of Purav (182), but the latter could move ahead if he and Ramkumar win their QF in Savannah. Vishnu Vardhan incidentally is 259.

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Yuki and Saketh lost in the SF.

At Morelos Challenger 80, Mexico (Hard)

[SF] Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Saketh Myneni (IND) l. Nicolas Meija (COL) / Roberto Quiroz (ECU) 64 36 4-10