It’s been an encouraging start to the new week for Indian tennis, as Karan Singh and S D Prajwal Dev both battled through the qualifying rounds to secure spots in the main draws of ATP Challenger events in Greece and China, respectively.
While Karan impressed with his all-court game on Greek hard courts at the ATP 50 Hersonissos Challenger, Prajwal’s determined showing at the ATP 75 Shenzhen Challenger ensured that Indian representation continues to grow across multiple Challenger-level events this month. Hard-hitting Karan Singh, ranked No. 440 in the ATP singles rankings, delivered back-to-back straight-set victories to seal his spot in the main draw of the Hersonissos Challenger in Crete, Greece. The 21-year-old showcased his aggressive baseline play and improved composure under pressure to come through two solid matches in qualifying.
In his opening round (QR1), Karan overcame France’s Nathan Trouve 6–3, 6–4. Trouve, once a Top 20 ITF junior who has been working his way back after a long injury layoff, posed a tricky test early on. But Karan maintained control with his heavy forehand and strong first serve, breaking at crucial junctures in both sets to close out the contest in just over 80 minutes. His confidence carried into the final qualifying round (FQR) against the Netherlands’ Niels Visker (ATP #654), where Karan once again held his nerve to post a 6–4, 6–4 victory.
The match saw him strike 9 aces and win 80% of his first-serve points an indicator of how he’s steadily evolving into a reliable hard-court performer.
The key moment came midway through the second set, when Singh broke Visker’s serve after a marathon game that featured four deuces. From there, he never looked back, finishing the match with a clean service hold and letting out a celebratory fist pump symbolic of the quiet progress he’s been making on the Challenger circuit this season.
Karan now faces a strong test in the main draw against Stefanos Sakellaridis (ATP #298), a local favourite from Greece who has been in good form on the Challenger tour. The matchup promises to be a compelling battle of contrasts Sakellaridis’ counterpunching style versus Karan’s power-heavy offense. For Karan Singh, this result continues a season of steady improvement. Having made significant progress in 2025, he’s been consistently pushing deeper into ITF and Challenger qualifying rounds. His journey has been defined by incremental gains rather than sudden breakthroughs but the signs are encouraging.
A product of the Indian domestic circuit, Singh has built his game around aggression and conditioning. His work with Indian coaches in Pune has refined his timing on the forehand wing, while exposure to Challenger-level matches in Asia and Europe has enhanced his tactical decision-making. The win in Greece also puts him within touching distance of cracking the top 400 in ATP rankings for the first time a milestone that could open doors to higher-level tournaments later this year.
Prajwal Dev Qualifies for Shenzhen Main Draw
Meanwhile, in Shenzhen, China, S D Prajwal Dev continued his excellent Challenger form, booking his place in the main draw of the ATP 75 Shenzhen Challenger after two strong wins in the qualifiers.
Currently ranked No. 806, the 27-year-old from Karnataka started his campaign by upsetting Yuta Kikuchi (ATP #600, Japan) 6–4, 3–6, 6–3 in a tightly contested first-round qualifying match. Prajwal’s consistency from the baseline and disciplined approach on serve proved decisive as he edged out the Japanese player in two hours and ten minutes. In the final qualifying round, Prajwal dominated against Russia’s Egor Agafonov (ATP #492), racing to a 6–0, 2–0 lead before his opponent retired due to injury.
The Indian looked sharp throughout, particularly with his crosscourt backhand and short-angle forehand returns, which kept Agafonov off-balance. With those victories, Prajwal secured his first main draw berth at an ATP 75 Challenger this season a testament to his persistence through an injury-interrupted 2024 campaign.
He now faces a formidable opening-round challenge in the main draw against the third seed Kyrian Jacquet (ATP #182) of France, a player known for his clean ball striking and aggressive court positioning. For Prajwal, this will be a crucial test against a top-200 player an opportunity to measure his growth and gain valuable ranking points.
Indian Presence Across the Challenger Circuit
This week marks one of the busiest stretches of the season for Indian men’s tennis, with players competing across four different Challenger events from Olbia (Italy) to Lincoln (USA), Shenzhen (China), and Hersonissos (Greece).
In doubles, Anirudh Chandrasekar continues his partnership with Reese Stalder in Italy, while in China, the pairs of S D Prajwal Dev/Nitin Kumar Sinha and Niki Poonacha/Pruchya Isaro are also in action. Meanwhile, Karan Singh will pair with Lukas Hellum-Lilleengen of Norway in the doubles draw in Greece. This broad representation underlines a growing trend Indian players are not only participating but also competing successfully at the Challenger level, a key proving ground for breaking into the ATP top 300 bracket.
Both Karan Singh and S D Prajwal Dev embody the new wave of Indian men’s tennis players who’ve embraced international exposure, training discipline, and a focus on performance metrics to build sustainable careers. While Karan’s win in Greece signals his growing confidence and adaptability on European hard courts, Prajwal’s persistence and tactical maturity continue to serve him well on the Asian swing.
As the ATP Challenger Tour enters the final quarter of the year, these performances could prove pivotal setting the tone for their 2026 seasons and possibly earning them direct entries into higher-tier events. For now, the message is clear: India’s presence on the Challenger circuit is expanding and with players like Karan Singh and Prajwal Dev, the next breakthrough may not be far away.
