European Challengers 2023

[sameerph]

And Arjun and Rithvik have easily beaten RamK and his partner in straight sets to move to the SF.

At Braunschweig Challenger 125 Germany (Clay)

[QF] Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) d. (3) Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) / David Vega Hernandez (ESP) 61 62

Rithvik is in his first challenger level SF and since it is a big one it getting him a lot of points and now he has move to #222 in live rankings.

Next,

[SF] Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) vs. Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine (FRA) / Pavel Kotov (RUS)

[sameerph]

Both the pairs of Indian interest have moved on to the SF in Salzburg too.

At Salzburg Challenger 125, Austria (Clay)


[QF] Sumit Nagal (IND) / Manuel Guinard (FRA) d. Maximilian Neuchrist (AUT) /Lukas Neumayer (AUT) 64 63

[QF] (4) Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) d. Roman Jebavy (CZE) / Igor Zelenay (SVK) 76(4) 64

And they meet each other next.

[SF] Sumit Nagal (IND) / Manuel Guinard (FRA) vs. (4) Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND)

[PKBasu]

Anirudh at a career high of 117, Arjun at 124 (just below his CH of 123), VSP at a career high of 125.

Yuki (64), Saketh (80), Jeevan (93), Balaji (97) have all fallen a few places this week. Bopanna has risen to 7.

[arjun2761]

Sumit gets revenge for his singles loss although would have preferred the singles win instead. Hopefully, at least one of the Indian or Indian interest pairs can win a title!

[sameerph]

Aniruddh/VSP beat Sumit and his partner easily to make the final in Austria.

At Salzburg Challenger 125, Austria (Clay)

[SF] (4) Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) d. Sumit Nagal (IND) / Manuel Guinard (FRA) 62 62

Next,

[F] (4) Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) vs. (3) Andrey Golubev (KAZ) /Denys Molchanov (UKR)

This is a very tough final for our pair against an experienced pair who are both well inside top 100. Golubev has been ranked as high #21 at one time.

[sameerph]

And Arjun-Rithvik make it to the final of other big challenger this week.

At Braunschweig Challenger 125 Germany (Clay)

[SF] Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) d. Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine (FRA) / Pavel Kotov (RUS) 67(6) 63 10-5

Next,

[F] Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) /Arthur Reymond (FRA)

[sameerph]

Rithvik and Arjun lost in the final.

At Braunschweig Challenger 125 Germany (Clay)

[F] Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) l. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) /Arthur Reymond (FRA) 67(7) 46

Still a great run by this pair in only their second tournament together. Arjun is at #123 and Ritvik at # 209 both at their career high rankings.

[sameerph]

Anirudh/VSP too lost in the final.

At Salzburg Challenger 125, Austria (Clay)

[F] (4) Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND) /Vijay Sundar Prashanth (IND) l. (3) Andrey Golubev (KAZ) /Denys Molchanov (UKR) 46 67(9)

Anirudh at #109 and VSP at #124 both at their career high rankings.

[sameerph]

Rithvik and Arjun are playing a challenger in Spain and are thru to the QF.

At Pozoblanco Challenger 75, Spain (Hard)

[R1] (3) Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) d. Constantin Bittoun Kouzmine (FRA) /Adria Soriano Barrera (COL) 64 64

Next,

[QF] (3) Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) vs. Dan Added (FRA) / Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA)

Pierre-Hughes Herbert is a former grand slam champion in doubles and was part of the pair who beat Rithvik-Arjun last week.

[sameerph]

Rithvik and Arjun lost in the QF.

At Pozoblanco Challenger 75, Spain (Hard)

[QF] (3) Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli (IND) / Arjun Kadhe (IND) l. Dan Added (FRA) / Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 57 26

[PKBasu]

Arjun/Rithvik lost to Herbert/partner in successive weeks. What the hell is a 5-times Slam winner and former world #2 doing playing Challengers week after week?? And he's only 32 years old. Perhaps trying to rebuild his rankings after an injury break...

[knarayen]

Another way to look at it is that our guys get to play someone at a far higher level - if they are smart they will assess where they need to improve and work on a plan - if they are focused on their career that is.

[sameerph]

This week we have Niki Poonacha playing with Divij at Porto Challenger and Arjun/Rithwik are also playing in that challenger.

Niki also playing in singles qualifying and had a nice upset win in Q1.

At Porto Challenger 125, Portugal (Hard)

[Q1] Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND,668) d. (9) Luka Potenza (ITA,527) 75 61

Next,

[Q2] Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND,668) vs. (4) Kenny De Schepper (FRA,415)

[sameerph]

Niki lost in final qualifying round.

At Porto Challenger 125, Portugal (Hard)

[Q2] Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND,668) l. (4) Kenny De Schepper (FRA,415) 26 46

[Dinesh]

Niki/Divij play an alt pair of Denis Yevseyev (KAZ)/ Aleksandr Braynin (UKR) at Porto 125 Challenger. Arjun/Rithvik are also playing here. They are seeded 3rd and will face local pairing of Faria/Rocha. This could be a tricky match.