Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 26 (ANI): Britain’s Felix Gill held his nerve in a high-intensity battle to defeat India’s high star Sumit Nagal 7-6(4), 0-6, 6-3 in a marathon encounter lasting 2 hours and 37 minutes and make it to the quarter finals on the Maha Open ATP Challenger 75 Men’s Tennis Championship.
According to a launch, the match is being organised by Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in affiliation with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Govt of Maharashtra, PCMC, PMC, and PMDTA, and sponsored by Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) and performed on the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul, Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium. Nagal took the lead twice within the first set, breaking on two events within the first set, however he couldn’t maintain his serve, taking the primary set to a carefully contested tie-breaker, which Gill managed to win. In the second set, the 300-ranked Gill noticed Nagal storm again with a dominant second-set bagel.
With the scores at 1 set all, Gill regrouped strongly within the decider, securing the decisive break to shut out a hard-fought victory and a revenge win, since Nagal had earlier defeated the Brit in Chennai two weeks in the past.
Eighth seed Edas Butvilas of Lithuania delivered a scientific efficiency to outclass qualifier Tung-Lin Wu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-0 in simply 58 minutes. Butvilas managed the baseline exchanges from the outset and wrapped up the competition in an emphatic style with out permitting his opponent any rhythm within the second set.
In the most important upset of the day, Japanese qualifier Masamichi Imamura shocked second seed Jay Clarke of Great Britain 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 19 minutes. Imamura performed fearless tennis, capitalising on essential break-point alternatives to seal a straight-sets victory.
In the quarterfinals to be performed on Friday, Indian hopes will relaxation on native boy and wildcard Manas Dhamne, who will tackle Duje Ajdukovic of Croatia at 3 pm. (ANI)