New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): Top seeds Siddhant Banthia (India) and Alexander Donski (Bulgaria) claimed the doubles title on the 2026 Delhi Open on Saturday, saving a match level in an exciting closing on the DLTA Complex. In the singles draw, fifth seed Oliver Crawford (Great Britain) and unseeded Stefanos Sakellaridis (Greece) superior to arrange a title conflict on Sunday.
The ATP Challenger 75 occasion, now in its sixth version, is being held on the DLTA Complex from February 16 to February 22, and started with 32 singles gamers and 16 doubles groups competing for high honours.
Banthia and Donski went down 4-6 within the opening set in opposition to the second-seeded pair of Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (India) and Pruchya Isaro (Indonesia), however bounced again to take the second set by the identical scoreline. The match tie-break proved to be a tense affair. At 10-10, each groups had saved one match level every earlier than Banthia and Donski sealed the competition 4-6, 6-4, 12-10 to clinch the title.
The victory marked Banthia’s second profession ATP Challenger doubles title — each gained alongside Donski — whereas it was Donski’s third ATP Challenger doubles crown.
‘It was an important efficiency. They performed very nicely,’ Donski mentioned after the win. ‘They confirmed a extremely excessive stage, and so they introduced out the perfect of us. I’m simply grateful to my accomplice, in fact, for being with me the entire week. We had good power, good chemistry and now we’re wanting ahead to the following match in Pune.’
‘I belief in Alex as a lot as he does in me, and that was the important thing to staying with one another as a result of we knew the match was going to be powerful and hanging there on the essential moments, and I assumed we did exceptionally nicely every time the factors mattered,’ Banthia mentioned after the match.
Banthia and Donski earned 75 rating factors and a prize cash cheque of 4,980 USD, whereas Poonacha/ Isaro gained 50 rating factors and a prize cash cheque of two,880 USD. The doubles semi-finals came about earlier within the day, the place Banthia and Donski defeated the British-Belgian pair of Jay Clarke and Michael Geerts 7-6(6), 7-6(3), whereas Poonacha and Isaro overcame the Korean-Finnish duo of JiSung Nam and Patrik Niklas-Salminen 7-6(3), 6-4.
This was the third time an Indian participant has lifted the doubles trophy on the Delhi Open. Saketh Myneni/Sanam Singh and Yuki Bhambri/Mahesh Bhupathi had gained the title in 2015 and 2016, respectively. With the Indian problem in singles now over, Somdev Devvarman stays the one Indian singles champion within the match’s historical past, having gained back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
In the singles competitors, Crawford progressed to the ultimate after defeating second seed Rei Sakamoto of Japan 6-4, 6-3 in a single hour and 38 minutes. The 26-year-old Brit, ranked No. 215 on the earth, secured a vital break within the tenth sport of the primary set to transform his fourth set level. He added one other break within the fourth sport of the second set and held agency to shut out the match. Crawford transformed two of eight break-point alternatives and saved each break factors on his serve.
‘It was a really high-level match. I assumed I performed very nicely, begin to end. Obviously, he is a ridiculously good participant, so I knew I needed to be on my greatest efficiency in the present day. I’m simply actually happy with my efforts and searching ahead to the ultimate tomorrow, ‘ Crawford commented after his win.
In the opposite semi-final, Sakellaridis registered a straight-sets win over Felix Gill. The Greeks dominated the opening set earlier than a intently contested second set, which featured no break factors and was determined in a tie-break. Gill saved three match factors within the tie-break, however Sakellaridis transformed his fourth to seal the 6-1, 7-6 victory in a single hour and 31 minutes. The 21-year-old, ranked No. 275 on the earth, saved the one break level he confronted and transformed three of 5 alternatives on Gill’s serve.
‘It was an important sport, nice environment, very good to play right here,’ Sakellaridis mentioned after his win. ‘The crowd was nice, good environment, so it’s totally pleasurable, and I had an excellent begin, particularly on this match. I managed to get the primary set rapidly, and there was an important battle within the second set. I’m completely happy I managed to recover from it. I’m very excited, it is my first closing on the Challenger Tour.’
As a part of the ATP Challenger 75 sequence, the match will award 75 rating factors to the singles champion and 44 factors to the singles runner-up. The singles champion will obtain $17,000 in prize cash, whereas the runner-up will earn $9,600.
ATP Delhi Open 2026 – Day 7 Results
Men’s Singles Main Draw – Semi-Finals
[5] Oliver Crawford (GBR) beat [2] Rei Sakamoto (JPN) 6-4, 6-3Stefanos Sakellaridis beat Felix Gill (GBR) 6-1, 7-6(5)
Men’s Doubles Main Draw – Final
[1] Siddhant Banthia (IND)/ Alexander Donski (BUL) beat [2] Pruchya Isaro (THA)/ Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) 4-6, 6-4, 12-10
Men’s Doubles Main Draw – Semi-Finals
[1] Siddhant Banthia (IND)/ Alexander Donski (BUL) beat Jay Clarke (GBR)/ Michael Geerts (BEL) 7-6(6), 7-6(3)[2] Pruchya Isaro (THA)/ Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha (IND) beat [3] JiSung Nam (KOR)/ Patrik Niklas-Salminen (FIN) 7-6(3), 6-4. (ANI)