French Open 2021, 24 May- 13 June

[suresh]

Go RamK

[PKBasu]

Tough match for Ankita tomorrow in Q1, but one that she is capable of winning.

Here are more details for the men:

[Q1] 27-Sumit Nagal (IND, 142) vs. Roberto Mercora (ITA, 191) - Mercora is a 31 year old with a CH of 150; beatable!
[Q1] Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND, 215) vs. Michael Mmoh (USA, 168) - there is always a chance against an American on clay!
[Q1] 32-Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND, 149) vs. Oscar Otte (GER, 152) - close match-up.

Sumit should win his Q1 easily. Prajnesh plays a player with a similar ranking, and is himself a bit low on confidence.

(Italics added now to previous post)

I was a bit low on confidence in Prajnesh, so not that surprised that he lost (but surprised at the score-line).
Against an American on clay, there's always a chance I said, and RamK took that chance -- and how. GREAT win over an American who qualified into the main draw last year. Congrats to Ramkumar!
Now it only remains for Sumit to show that his opponent is beatable!

[suresh]

It is interesting that RamK and Mmoh have UTR ratings of 14.45 and 14.48 which is a lot closer than their ATP ranks. RamK's win doesn't look like an upset.

[sameerph]

It is interesting that RamK and Mmoh have UTR ratings of 14.45 and 14.48 which is a lot closer than their ATP ranks. RamK's win doesn't look like an upset.

That is a bit of surprise. Mmoh qualified into main draw of last 2 grand slams played - French open in last October and Australian open this year. Also had a win in main draw of US open 2020. So, I wonder why his UTR is so low.

[sameerph]

Sumit takes the first set 6-3 against Marcora winning 4 straight games from 2-3 down.

[PKBasu]

[Q1] 27-Sumit Nagal (IND, 142) d. Roberto Marcora (ITA, 191) 63 63

Sumit up 2-1 in the second set. Marcora down 30-40 (BP), Deuce, Ad-out (BP), Breaks! 3-1
Each player holds for 4-2, Sumit holds again for 5-2.
Marcora holds after a couple of Deuces. 5-3
Sumit was up 30-0, but then let it get to Deuce, two Ad-out break-points for Marcora, Deuce, Ad-in, MATCH!

[sameerph]

Oh, it was a titanic struggle for Sumit to close it out as he missed 7-8 match points both on Marcora serve and his own serve before finally closing it out.

[PKBasu]

Next-up:

[Q2] 27-Sumit Nagal (IND, 142) vs. Alejandro Tabilo (CHI, 166)
[Q2] Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND, 215) vs. Denis Istomin (UZB, 203)

The wily 34-year-old Istomin beat 11th seed Damir Dzhumur in Q1.

[arjun2761]

Oh, it was a titanic struggle for Sumit to close it out as he missed 7-8 match points both on Marcora serve and his own serve before finally closing it out.

Yes, per the scoresheet, in the last game he converted the 6th match point (which facing 1 ad-out break point). Good win overall and he was far superior from the ground against his top 200 opponent.

[jaydeep]

Agree ... Comfortable win by Sumit and really fighting upset win by Ram over Mmoh.

[sameerph]

Denis Istomin has played a lot of Indians over the years and has beaten most of then. However, at 34 he is not the same player that he was earlier. But, still has a lot of experience. So, RamK will have to play really well as he did in second and third sets yesterday if he has to get better of him.

Sumit plays another claycourt expert in Chilean Tabilio whom he had lost to in a 3 setter in 2019. But, with the form that he showed yesterday, Sumit would go in as slght favorite.

Ankita plays a much higher ranked Minen. But, Minen does not have great results of late. So, Ankita will have a chance.

All 3 are tough matches as you would expect at Q2 in a slam but all are winnable.

I will be happy with 2 wins but 3 would be great.

[suresh]

I have added UTR numbers to the matchups.

[Q2] 27-Sumit Nagal (IND, 142, UTR 14.49 ) vs. Alejandro Tabilo (CHI, 166, UTR 14.29)
[Q2] Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND, 215, UTR 14.45) vs. Denis Istomin (UZB, 203, UTR 14.02)

[Q2] Ankita Raina (IND,182, UTR 11.58) vs. (17) Greet Minnen (BEL,125, UTR 12.07)

[Rajiv]

So, RamK will have to play really well as he did in second and third sets yesterday if he has to get better of him.

Sumit plays another claycourt expert in Chilean Tabilio whom he had lost to in a 3 setter in 2019. But, with the form that he showed yesterday, Sumit would go in as slght favorite.

What worked in Ram's favour was sudden change in tactics in the 2nd Set , where he launched a barrage of serve and volley's forays to the net and practically after each and every serve he was up to the net , not only it caught the American totally off guard but it unsettled him seeing Ram holding serving with ease where as in the first set Ram was struggling even to hold and got broken few times which he lost tamely at 2.
Istomin is an old fox , and with a 2 nil H2H over Ram , see a difficult match especially after the Uzbek taking out much fancied Damir.

Sumit i see as a firm favourite , and nothing less than a win would do

and for Ankita looking for a surprise upset.

[jai_in_canada]

If I were Sumit's coach I'd tell him to take an anti-Istomin before the match! Voila! The itch is gone!

[sameerph]

Not a good start for Ankita. Lost the first set 2-6.