Doubles title for Niki Poonacha and Anirudh Chandrasekar in Uganda

Davis Cupper Sumit Nagal failed to win another game on resumption and was beaten 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 by Joao Menezes of Brazil in the semifinals of the $54,160 Challenger tennis tournament in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday.

Resuming with his serve at 3-4 in the third set, after rain had forced suspension of play on Saturday, Sumit could not get into his rhythm that had helped him string a series of good matches.

Sumit collected 29 ATP points and $2,510.

In the doubles final of the ITF men’s Futures in Uganda, top seeds Anirudh Chandrasekar and Niki Poonacha asserted themselves with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Simon Carr and Ryan James Storrie.

While it was the fifth doubles title in the professional circuit for Poonacha, who had also won a singles title last year in Indonesia, it was the maiden title in the international circuit for Anirudh, who had otherwise been groomed on court by his brother PC Vignesh.

The results:
$54,160 Challenger, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Singles (semifinals): Joao Menezes (BRA) bt Sumit Nagal 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

$15,000 ITF men, Kampala, Uganda
Doubles (final): Anirudh Chandrasekar & Niki Poonacha bt Simon Carr (IRL) & Ryan James Storrie (GBR) 6-3, 6-4.

Semifinals: Simon Car (IRL) & Ryan James Storrie (GBR) by Giovani Samaha (LBN) & Aryan Goveas 4-6, 6-3, [10-6].

(Courtesy: The Hindu)