Away from the tumult of the Russia- Ukraine conflict, former world No 65 Evgeny Donskoy of Russia is having fun with his tennis on Indian soil and would proceed to take action in two extra ITF occasions in Mysore and Chennai over the following 15 days after ending his task on the ongoing Lucknow leg of the ITF $25K Males’s Open.
“Tennis is all the things to me and I’m having fun with my recreation right here in India for the final 15 days, and would proceed to take action over the following 15 days after ending the competitors in Lucknow,” mentioned Donskoy after beating India No 5 Digvijay Pratap Singh in his first-round tie right here on Wednesday.
Donskoy, 32, who had a surprising win towards Australian Open champion Roger Federer within the second spherical of the Dubai Tennis Championships in 2017, beat Digvijay 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 in a match that nearly lasted two hours.
Digvijay hit some fiery forehand cross-courts and serves to degree the match and was even main 4-3 within the decider, however Donskoy confirmed his may. He additionally confirmed some extraordinary sportsmanship as he referred to as the ball “proper” when the umpire had judged it out.
“My 2017 win over Federer is an previous story…who cares what occurred prior to now? I’m pleased the way in which I’m enjoying tennis now. It wasn’t straightforward for me in the present day as Singh was at his finest within the second set. Even once I was trailing 3-4 within the decider, I didn’t lose my focus. I knew that my probabilities would come,” mentioned Donskoy who gained the title on the Delhi leg of the ITF final week.
Donskoy, a daily within the Challengers, mentioned that enjoying in ITF tourneys has helped him acquire important ATP factors and acquire the expertise of competing towards a wide range of gamers, particularly towards the Indians who’ve all the time been fairly spectacular.
He praises Indians Rohan Bopanna, Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri, and Somdev Devvarman. “They’re superb palms, maintain good serving capacities, however I’ll say that perhaps their bodily situation is just not that good. However lots of them are among the many high 100 gamers on the planet and it’s nice for Indian tennis,” he mentioned.
Earlier than the Donskoy-Digvijay match on courtroom No 1 may draw everybody’s consideration, India’s Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam went all out however faltered in the direction of the tip, shedding to Japanese Y Takahashi 0-6, 7-5, 6-7. Indian Davis Cupper Karan Singh saved his cool to beat Japan’s S Sekiguchi 6-3, 6-4 whereas energetic Siddharth Vishwakarma ousted younger Rushil Khosla 7-6, 6-3 to make it to the second spherical.
India No 2 Shashikumar Mukund didn’t face a lot of a problem earlier than brushing apart Dutchman Stijn Pel in straight units 6-4, 6-2. “I had a lung an infection within the Delhi leg of the occasion. I’m nonetheless not totally match, however I really feel that in the present day’s win was one of many higher matches I performed this 12 months. Right here the draw is hard and everyone is enjoying his finest tennis, and I’d attempt to proceed my successful streak right here,” mentioned Mukund.
Indian Niki Poonacha confronted defeat by the hands of compatriot M Sureshkumar in a gruelling three-set battle 7-6, 6-4, 6-2. Second-seed Oliver Crawford displayed nice health and easy strokes as he got here again from a set all the way down to beat British man George Loffhagmen 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Noida’s Siddharth Rawat additionally marched into the second spherical, beating Ishaque Eqbal 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, whereas the opposite Uttar Pradesh lad Yash Chaurasia was proven the exit door by the 2016 Australian Open Boy’s Doubles winner Blake Ellis 6-3, 6-3.