The ATP 125 Bengaluru Open delivered yet another dramatic chapter on Wednesday as Dhakshineswar Suresh, playing on a wildcard, produced a remarkable escape act to defeat in-form French qualifier Felix Balshaw in a gripping Round of 16 encounter.
In a match that swung wildly in momentum and nerves, the Indian dug deep to prevail 6–3, 1–6, 7–6(4), booking his place in the quarter-finals and keeping the home crowd firmly invested in his journey. For Suresh, ranked ATP 523, this was not just a win—it was a test of survival, belief, and resilience. Balshaw, ranked 718 but playing well above that number this week, had arrived brimming with confidence after upsetting ATP 259 Benjamin Hassan in the previous round. What followed was a contest that underlined why Challenger tennis often produces some of the most compelling drama in the sport.
A Confident Start, Then a Sudden Dip
Suresh began the match with clarity and intent. His movement looked sharp, his forehand penetration effective, and his service games relatively comfortable. He broke Balshaw early in the opening set, controlled rallies from the baseline, and wrapped up the set 6–3, appearing the more settled player. But Challenger matches rarely follow a straight script. Balshaw responded emphatically in the second set. The 19-year-old Frenchman raised his intensity, took the ball earlier, and began to dominate exchanges. Suresh’s first serve percentage dipped, and with it, his ability to control points. Balshaw raced through the set 6–1, forcing a decider and flipping the momentum completely.
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At that stage, the match appeared to be slipping away from the Indian wildcard.
A Decider That Tested Every Nerve
The third set was where the contest truly came alive and where Suresh’s mental strength came into sharp focus. Balshaw broke early to move ahead, applying constant pressure on the Suresh serve. At one point, Suresh was forced to save eight break points in the deciding set, a statistic that alone captures the extent of the pressure he was under.
The defining moment came with Balshaw serving at 6–5, 30–0, just two points away from victory. For many players, especially against a confident opponent, that situation signals the end. For Suresh, it became the beginning of a comeback. He held his nerve, extended rallies, forced Balshaw into errors, and clawed his way back into the game. The set moved into a tiebreak, but the drama was far from over.
Balshaw surged ahead 3–1 in the tiebreak, again edging closer to the finish line. Once more, Suresh refused to blink. He found depth on his returns, trusted his forehand in key moments, and slowly wrested control of the breaker. From 1–3 down, he reeled off points at the right time to seal the tiebreak 7–4, collapsing in relief as much as triumph.
A Win Built on Grit, Not Flash
This was not a match defined by winners or highlight-reel shots. It was a contest decided by resolve, by the ability to stay present in the toughest moments. Suresh’s willingness to absorb pressure, particularly in the third set, stood out. Saving eight break points and coming back from near-certain defeat speaks volumes about his competitive mindset. Balshaw, to his credit, played an aggressive brand of tennis throughout and showed why he had already claimed a major scalp earlier in the tournament. But when the match reached its tightest moments, it was Suresh who managed his emotions better and executed with greater clarity.
With this win, Dhakshineswar Suresh advances to the quarter-finals of the Bengaluru Open, where he will face the winner of the high-profile clash between India’s No. 1 Sumit Nagal (ATP 275) and France’s Harold Mayot (ATP 167). Regardless of who emerges, the challenge will step up significantly. Nagal brings experience and familiarity with Indian conditions, while Mayot offers European solidity and a higher ranking pedigree. For Suresh, the key will be physical recovery and maintaining the same level of mental discipline that carried him through this marathon battle.
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In a tournament where Indian tennis has already enjoyed several encouraging moments, Suresh’s comeback stands out for its sheer refusal to accept defeat. Wildcards often speak about “making the most of the opportunity.” On Wednesday, Dhakshineswar Suresh did exactly that—by staying alive when the match appeared lost and turning adversity into opportunity.
At the Challenger level, these are the wins players remember. Not because they were easy, but because they demanded everything.
