Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships ATP 500, Feb 24-March 3, 2024

[sameerph]

As posted in his thread, Sumit has got a wild card in main draw at Dubai ATP, Rohan and Ebden are playing after a short break after Australian open and Yuki-Hasse have made it to final qualifying round after beating Balaji and Begemann.

[Q1] (1) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) d. N. Sriram Balaji (IND) / Andre Begemann (GER) 64 76(5)

Next,

[Q2] (1) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) vs. (2) Andreas Mies (GER) / John-Patrick Smith (AUS)

This is the pair whom Yuki-Haase lost in Doha first round this week. So, can they succeed in their second meeting within a few days ?

[sameerph]

Very good comeback win by Yuki and Haase against a player whom they lost to last week.

[Q2] (1) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) d. (2) Andreas Mies (GER) / John-Patrick Smith (AUS) 67(2) 63 12-10

[sameerph]

So, we have 3 representatives in singles and doubles main draw.

[R1] Sumit Nagal (IND,97) vs. Lorenzo Sonego (ITA,48)

[R1] (1) Rohan Boappana (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) vs. (WC) Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi (PAK) / Skander Mansouri (TUN)

[R1] (Q) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) vs. Alexander Bublik (KAZ) / Adrian Mannarino (FRA)

[sameerph]

Yuki and Haase have a good comeback win in first round.

[R1] (Q) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) d. Alexander Bublik (KAZ) / Adrian Mannarino (FRA) 67(6) 63 10-8

With that Yuki defend his last year's points and earns 20 more.

Sumit's match is at around 10 pm India time and Bops match around 9.30 pm.

[sameerph]

Sumit lost the first set 4-6 with 1 break of serve and is 2-2 in second set.

[prasen9]

4-6, 4-4.

[sameerph]

Nobody is winning too many points on other's serves in this set at least. Look to be fast courts.

[Sanjay]

Sonego is ranked 48 and Sumit is only marginally inferior. That is a great sign. Sumit is playing at the rank 60 - 70 level right now.

[sameerph]

And Sumit get a break out of nowhere to take the second set 7-5.

[sameerph]

Sumit got broken from 40-0 up in the first game of the third set and than got broken again in 5th game. Now down 1-4 in third set.

Bops-Ebden won after tough 2 tie breaks.

[R1] (1) Rohan Boappana (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) d. (WC) Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi (PAK) / Skander Mansouri (TUN) 76(4) 76(5)

[sameerph]

All over for Sumit. He was struggling physically towards the end, playing 4th straight week it was expected.

[R1] Sumit Nagal (IND,97) l. Lorenzo Sonego (ITA,48) 46 75 16

[Sanjay]

Missed the 3rd set after 1-3 but then disappointed to see the final score. I wonder if it is a fitness issue. He is playing really well now with some awesome shots but needs to last the distance.

[arjun2761]

Missed chance for Sumit although he is going to have a hard time winning on relatively fast hard courts like in Dubai! At his current ranking, he will need to win matches at the ATP level to move up significantly. Perhaps, he can do that playing in clay and some of the slower hard courts (such as IW and Miami).

[sameerph]

So, we have doubles pairs with Indian interest playing in QF's tomorrow.

[QF] (Q) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) vs. (3) Jamie Murray (GBR) / Michael Venus (NZL)

[QF] (1) Rohan Boappana (IND) / Mathew Ebden (AUS) vs. Ariel Behar (ISR) / Adam Pavlasek (CZE)

[sameerph]

Yuki and Haase pull of a big upset win over third seeds.

[QF] (Q) Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) d. (3) Jamie Murray (GBR) / Michael Venus (NZL) 64 76(1)

Murray and Venus had won ATP 250 title last week at Doha. So, this is an excellent win.