Chennai: Indian wild card entrant Jeevan Nedunchezhian crashed out of the Chennai Open after a bright start soon after Ramkumar Ramanathan stormed into the singles main draw with a superb win over higher-ranked Norbert Gombos, here on Monday.
Jeevan lost 5-7, 2-6 to another left-hander and world number 85 Jiri Vesely in the first singles main draw match of the tournament.
Before Jeevan took court, Ramkumar, ranked 526, ousted Gombos, who is ranked 197, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3.
However, he has been pitted against India’s best singles player, Somdev Devvarman, in his first round match.
In the doubles main draw, Indian wild card Saketh Myneni and his Russian partner Karen Khachanov progressed to the quarterfinal with a hard fought win over Pablo Carreno Busta and Albert Ramos 6-1, 7-6 (7).
In other singles main draw matches, Yen-Hsun Lu, ranked 66, defeated 89th ranked Tim Smyczek 6-4, 6-2 and Dudi Sela got past Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-2.
Fifth seed Vasek Pospisil also brushed aside the challenge of wild card Kyle Edmund 6-3, 7-5. (PTI)
