Sultanov , Rodionov upset seeds at  PMRDA Powered MahaOpen ATP Challenger 100 Men’s  Championships
  • Wildcards Dhamne , Shah go down

Pune, February 18, 2025 :  Indian interest in the singles fizzled out as Wildcards and young Indian players Manas Dhamne and Aryan Shah went down  while Unseeded Khumoyun Sultanov of Uzbekistan, and Jurij Rodionov of Austria   upset seeds  in the first round at the  PMRDA Powered Maha Open ATP Challenger 100 Men’s  Tennis Championship  organized by Maharashtra State Lawn tennis Association (MSLTA) in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services Govt of Maharashtra, PCMC, PMC and PMDTA at the Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium.

19 year old Aryan Shah who was awarded a main draw wildcard tried his best but could not make a impact going down to sixth seeded and 153 ranked Brandon Holt of USA, Holt son of the legendary US tennis star of yesteryears Tracy Austin played solid tennis from the baseline to register a 6-2,6-2 win against Shah in 1 hour and 12 minute match.

In a close match lasting 1 hour 42 minutes top seeded and 110 ranked Billy Harris  of. Great Britain  quelled the challenge of 17 year local lad Manas Dhamne 6-4,6-4 . Dhamne started well with a break and led 2-0 in the first set but Harris proved a tough nut to crack breaking Manas 2 times in the first set  and once in the second set to make it to the second round .

Manas played above his age , but lacked the experience to take advantage of his home courts against the top seed Harris who has been having a good run on the Indian swing

The 229 ranked , 26 year old resident of Tashkent Khumoyun Sultanov carved out the biggest upset of the day ousting third seed and finalist of the lat year's edition Tristan Schoolkate of Australia 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in a match lasting 1 hour and 49 minutes , Sultanov who won a few Future events in India in the last year played solidly from the baseline to hussle the world no 129 Shcoolkate and forcing him into errors in the third set

Another unseeded  player Jurij Rodionov of Austria lost the first set inspite of firing 8 aces , but managed to take the next two sets  to score a comeback win against 168 ranked  and 21 year old seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki of  Japan  6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2 in a 2hour 9 minutes match . The 6ft 3 inches Austrian who was ranked as high as 87 in the wrold served 15 Aces in the match .
 
Results: Main Draw: First Round:
[1] Billy Harris (GBR) bt [WC] Manas Dhamne (IND) 6-4,6-4
[Q] Kimmer Coppejans (BEL) vs [Q] Hiroki Moriya (JPN)
Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg (FRA) bt [Q] Petr Bar Biryukov 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-3;
[6] Brandon Holt (USA) bt [WC] Aryan Shah (IND) 6-2, 6-2;  
[Q] Masamichi Imamura (JPN) bt [Alt] Jay Clarke (GBR) 7-6(2), 6-2;
[Q] Michael Geerts (BEL) bt Marek Gengel (CZE) 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4);
[5] Ugo Blanchet (FRA) bt Enzo Couacaud (FRA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3;
[Alt] Kyrian Jacquet (FRA) bt Rio Noguchi (JPN) 6-1, 6-3;
Bernard Tomic (AUS) bt Nicolas Mejia (COL) 6-2, 6-2;
Khumoyun Sultanov (UZB) bt [3] Tristan Schoolkate (AUS) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3;
Jurij Rodionov (AUT) bt [7] Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2;  
August Holmgren (DEN) vs Dalibor Svrcina (CZE)
James McCabe (AUS) bt [Alt] Enrico Dalla Valle (ITA)6-0, 6-3;
[Q] Ilia Simakin bt [LL] Blake Ellis (AUS)6-4, 6-2.