Britain’s Felix Gill produced a composed and resilient performance to knock out India’s top singles player Sumit Nagal in the second round of the PMRDA Powered MahaOpen ATP Challenger 75.
Gill prevailed 7-6(4), 0-6, 6-3 in a gripping contest that lasted 2 hours and 37 minutes at the Shiv Chhatrapati Kreeda Sankul, Mhalunge Balewadi Tennis Stadium.
The tournament, organised by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) in association with the Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, PCMC, PMC and PMDTA, and sponsored by the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA), witnessed one of its most intense matches of the week as Gill avenged his recent loss to Nagal in Chennai.
A Match of Swings and Momentum
The contest began with high-quality baseline exchanges, with Nagal asserting early control. The Indian broke serve twice in the opening set and looked poised to convert his advantage. However, Gill demonstrated resilience under pressure, breaking back on both occasions to force a tie-break.
In the breaker, Gill maintained composure in crucial moments, capitalising on a few loose points from Nagal to clinch the set 7-6(4). The first set underlined the fine margins between the two players, with neither able to sustain dominance on serve.
Nagal responded emphatically in the second set. Raising his intensity and striking the ball with greater depth and precision, he overpowered the 300th-ranked Brit to deliver a commanding 6-0 set. Gill struggled to find rhythm as Nagal dictated rallies and controlled the pace from the baseline.
With the match level at one set apiece, the decider demanded mental fortitude. Gill regrouped effectively, resetting his approach and tightening his service games. The turning point came when he secured a decisive break of serve midway through the third set. From there, Gill managed his advantage with disciplined shot selection and steady court coverage, eventually sealing the match 6-3.
The victory served as redemption for Gill, who had lost to Nagal in Chennai two weeks earlier. For Nagal, the defeat marked an abrupt end to his campaign in front of a supportive home crowd.
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The day also featured a series of contrasting results in the men’s singles draw.
Eighth seed Edas Butvilas of Lithuania delivered one of the most clinical performances of the round, dismantling qualifier Tung-Lin Wu of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-0 in just 58 minutes. Butvilas dominated baseline exchanges and maintained consistent depth on his groundstrokes, leaving Wu unable to establish momentum, particularly in a one-sided second set.
In the biggest upset of the day, Japanese qualifier Masamichi Imamura stunned second seed Jay Clarke of Great Britain 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour and 19 minutes. Imamura played with aggressive intent, converting key break points and maintaining pressure on Clarke’s serve. The straight-sets victory marked a significant breakthrough for the qualifier in Pune.
In doubles quarterfinal action, fourth seeds Jisung Nam of Korea and Patrik Niklas-Salminen of Finland defeated the pairing of Ryuki Matsuda and Ilia Simakin 6-3, 6-3 with controlled net play and consistent serving. Japanese third seeds Yuta Shimizu and Seita Watanabe advanced past Indian wildcards Saketh Myneni and Digvijaypratap Singh 6-4, 6-4 in a closely contested encounter that hinged on key break points in both sets.
Second seeds Pruchya Isaro of Thailand and India’s Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha progressed after Jay Clarke and Michael Geerts were forced to retire with the score at 1-0.
Indian Focus Shifts to Manas Dhamne
With Nagal’s exit, Indian hopes in singles now rest on local wildcard Manas Dhamne, who will face Croatia’s Duje Ajdukovic in the quarterfinals on Friday at 3 pm. Dhamne’s run has already generated significant interest, and he will look to extend his campaign against experienced opposition.
As the tournament moves into its decisive stages, the intensity at Balewadi continues to rise, with quarterfinal matchups promising further high-quality competition in Pune.
