Chennai Open ATP Challenger day two: Clarke out, Indians make their mark

The ongoing Chennai Open ATP Challenger at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Nungambakkam delivered thrilling tennis and notable upsets on Wednesday, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

In one of the biggest surprises of the day, Britain’s top seed Jay Clarke , ranked No. 183 in the ATP standings, was knocked out in the opening round. Clarke started strong by breaking early, but Greece’s Ioannis Xilas rallied to win 6‑4, 6‑4, ending the Briton’s campaign abruptly. The upset marked one of the tournament’s standout results.

Indian hopes were high, but the day proved mixed in singles. Poland’s Maks Kasnikowski defeated India’s Aryan Lakshmanan 7‑5, 6‑2 in another first‑round encounter, showing great resilience in crucial moments. Meanwhile, in second‑round action, Kazakhstan’s Denis Yevseyev came from a set down to beat India’s Mukund Sasikumar 3‑6, 6‑2, 6‑3, earning a place in the Round of 16. Additionally, Argentine second seed Federico Agustin Gomez powered past Italy’s Lorenzo Carboni to advance.

Doubles action brought more joy for the home crowd as several Indian duos stamped their authority on the draw. Top seeds Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Pruchya Isaro cruised to a 6‑4, 6‑2 victory, booking their place in the quarter‑finals. The experienced pair of Saketh Myneni and Siddhant Banthia bounced back after dropping a set to win the match tie‑break, securing a 10‑2 decider to also enter the last eight. Wildcard entrants Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam and Lohithaksha Bathrinath produced a thrilling finish in their match, emerging 10‑8 winners in the match tie‑break. Another Indian duo, Manish Sureshkumar and Ishaque Eqbal, also progressed with a solid performance.

Play continues through the week with singles and doubles matches building toward the quarter‑final stages. Indian stars including Sumit Nagal are expected to be in action as the tournament progresses, giving local fans plenty to look forward to.