US Challengers 2021

[PKBasu]

Apparently Kwiatkowski hit one of the ball-kids when he smashed a ball in anger earlier in the match, but didn't get disqualified...

[sameerph]

RamK has won the first set 6-4.

Mukund at 3-3 in first set.

[sameerph]

Mukund takes the first set 6-4.

RamK at 2-2 in second set. Saved 2 breakpoints with 3 aces.

[PKBasu]

Prajnesh plays 22 year old WC-Sam Riffice (USA, 562) in R2. Raffice beat 33-year-old Ito Tatsuma in a 3-set humdinger in R1. NRI Govind Nanda has also made R2 of the main draw.
Mukund was up 2-0 in the second set, but has just been broken
Mukund seems to be falling apart, as he is broken again, and now trails 2-3 in the second set.
Ramkumar serving at 5-6 in the second set.

[sameerph]

RamK could not convert couple of breakpoints at 5-5 and then got broken himself with some great returns from his opponent to lose the second set 5-7.

Suddenly, from winning positions these 2 matches are looking tough.

[PKBasu]

Ramkumar lost the second set 5-7, and Mukund went from 2-0 to 2-6 in the second set

[PKBasu]

Ramkumar up 5-3 in the final set.
Mukund too fighting in the third set. It is 2-2.

[PKBasu]

[R1] 8-Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND, 227) d. Aleksandar Kovacevic (USA, 413) 64 57 64

This should not have been this difficult for Ramkumar.
Mukund is down 2-4 in the third set. Big opportunity (to be in the top-seed's section of the draw) about to be missed by SKM.

[Atithee]

Mukund lost in third set. Final scores:

6-2, 2-6, 5-7

[jayakris]

Looks like Mukund got back in it after falling behind in the third, but still fell in the end after a fight... Man, you need to win these matches. At least Ram advanced after some unexpected trouble.

[Ullhas]

Meantime, Ram got walkover in doubles. That will save him some energy. The pair moves to QFs where they will meet 3rd seeds Schnur/Krueger.

[sameerph]

RamK also got a walkover in doubles QF too and is straight into SF. Good slice of luck.

Prajnesh and Ramk play their second round matches today.

[R2] (2) Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND,156) vs. (WC) Sam Riffice (USA,779)

[R2] (8) Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND,227) vs. (Q) Alexis Galarneau (CAN,440)

Sam Riffice won the NCAA singles title this year. So, he is a top 250 level player at least. So, won't be an easy match.

Galarneau is also a former NCAA player but do not think he had such great results.

[Ullhas]

Let's hope both Ram and Prajnesh pull off wins. Then we have a semis spot assured. In doubles, Ram has been super lucky. Hope he gets a win (or may be another walkover ). It has been a horrid year so far. Almost 2/3rd season is over and leave a title, we are yet to see even a final appearances. I don't remember a season in last decade when India fared so badly.

[Rajiv]

It would be quite disappointing if an Indian doesn't win the Singles title or atleast reach the finals.

By these rush of walkovers in Dbls Ram can get the crown , but the dbls ranking is so crowded , that even a title here will maximum push him 3 to 4 notches higher, and in the coming few months he (Ram) has to protect over 425 Dbls points and further 260 points for Jan/Feb next year, so forthis year has to win atleast 4 to 5 Challengers Dbls titles just to maintain his present ranking.

[jaydeep]

Yes, good opportunity to our players for capturing load of points ... Hoping one of them capture title here.