Organised by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), the Bengaluru Open is an ATP Challenger 125 tournament with a prize pool of USD 2,00,000. It currently holds the distinction of being India\u2019s biggest international Tennis event. The champion of this hard-court tournament will earn 125 valuable ATP ranking points.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Just days after teaming up for a semi-final run at the Delhi Open, friends and countrymen Barton and Kopriva faced off for a spot in the pre-quarterfinals. Familiar with each other\u2019s game, they matched stride for stride in a gritty first set until Kopriva capitalised on Barton\u2019s unforced errors to break in Game 7 and take the lead. Barton, however, turned the match around, breaking Kopriva late in the second set and early in the third to seal a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback win.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe are good friends, so it was a little bit nervous in the beginning. He\u2019s more experienced, I am the younger one who wants to win\u2013we thought it would be different in the beginning, but we played up and down,\u201d said Barton after the gruelling contest. \u201cI was playing well in the front, he was better at the back, we were matching style to style. In the third set, I broke him in the fourth game and then tried to hold my serve. That\u2019s what I accomplished and I am happy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cFor me, these are the best conditions. I like the heat and humidity. I feel the rhythm. I really don\u2019t mind it; I actually quite like it,\u201d added Barton, who has enjoyed an Indian spring, playing Challengers all over the country since the turn of the year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Indian teen sensation Manas Dhamne\u2019s Bengaluru Open journey came to an end in the first round, despite him putting up a brave fight against qualifier Petr Bar Biryukov. Dhamne lost the first set 6-3 but came roaring back to win the second by the same scoreline. The 17-year-old then pushed Biryukov to a tiebreaker in the third, but couldn't find an answer to his lethal first serve and succumbed to a defeat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Elsewhere, Karan Singh\u2019s Bengaluru Open campaign ended in the first round of the main draw as he fell to Jurij Rodionov in a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) battle. The Indian qualifier showcased resilience, forcing a decider after levelling the match, but the Austrian held his nerves in the final-set tiebreak. Meanwhile, wild card Ramkumar Ramanathan put up a strong challenge against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki, pushing the Japanese star to the brink in both sets before bowing out 7-6(3), 7-5.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Indian teen sensation Manas Dhamne\u2019s Bengaluru Open journey came to an end in the first round, despite him putting up a brave fight against qualifier Petr Bar Biryukov. Dhamne lost the first set 6-3 but came roaring back to win the second by the same scoreline. The 17-year-old then pushed Biryukov to a tiebreaker in the third, but couldn't find an answer to his lethal first serve and succumbed to a defeat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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