In one of the most dramatic qualification matches of the season, India’s Dhakshineswar Suresh produced a display of grit, heart, and defiance to outlast Great Britain’s Luca Pow 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4) in the opening qualifying round of the Knoxville Challenger.
The two-hour contest had everything momentum swings, injury struggles, and emotional undertones as two college teammates turned competitors fought until the final point.
For Suresh, ranked ATP 528, the match carried emotional weight beyond the scoreline. Facing his close friend and former college teammate, Pow, who sits at ATP 931, the 22-year-old Indian had to summon every ounce of his fighting spirit and then some to survive a match that nearly slipped through his grasp multiple times.
The opening set was all about control and precision from Suresh. His serve was firing, his footwork sharp, and his forehand depth immaculate. The Indian fired 15 aces in the match, and a chunk of them came early, helping him dictate the tempo. He broke Pow twice to take the first set 6-2, displaying composure and clarity on the big points.
Pow, however, looked far from outclassed. His compact baseline play and counterpunching kept him competitive, forcing Suresh to work harder in the longer rallies. But when the Indian landed over 60% of first serves and won 70% of those points, there was little the Brit could do.
Injury Strikes and the Momentum Shifts
The match turned dramatically at the start of the second set. Suresh began to show visible discomfort in his right shoulder, wincing after serves and rolling his arm between points. The pain seemed to sap his rhythm and power, drastically affecting his service motion.
Pow seized the opening, breaking early and taking control of the set with his aggressive returns. His numbers improved sharply winning 71% of his first-serve points and breaking Suresh twice en route to a 6-2 equalizer.
What stood out, though, was Suresh’s body language. The confidence and swagger of the first set gave way to concern and hesitation. His first-serve speed dropped noticeably, and he began relying on placement rather than power. Between games, he repeatedly stretched and rolled his shoulder, grimacing through the pain.
By the end of the second set, Suresh had lost eight of the last ten games, and it looked like the match was slipping away.
The final set was an emotional rollercoaster the kind of set that defines a player’s character. Suresh, visibly struggling with the shoulder, managed to dig deep and find an early break, going up 3-1 after some bold net play and a series of pinpoint backhands down the line.
But the momentum didn’t last long. Serving for the match at 5-4, he faltered. A couple of loose double faults and a strong return game from Pow saw the Brit break back, leveling the score at 5-5. From there, the tension was palpable.
Both players held serve to push the match into a deciding tiebreak, where the nerves reached their peak. Pow raced ahead 3-1, taking advantage of Suresh’s tentative serving. But the Indian, who had been clutch all season in close situations, turned the breaker on its head.
He produced three consecutive unreturnable serves, followed by a stunning crosscourt forehand pass that brought him level. The turning point came at 4-4, when Suresh chased down a drop shot and flicked a winner past a stranded Pow the kind of instinctive brilliance that comes from sheer willpower.
He sealed the win on his third match point with fittingly an ace down the T. As the ball clipped the line, Suresh dropped his racket and let out a scream that echoed through the indoor facility. Relief. Emotion. Survival.
Despite the injury, Suresh’s serving numbers remained impressive. He fired 15 aces to Pow’s 6 and committed only 1 double fault, compared to his opponent’s 3. His first-serve percentage (62%) and break points saved (7/10) proved crucial.
While Pow actually won a slightly higher percentage of service points (62% to Suresh’s 61%), the Indian was more effective on return in key moments, converting 3 of 5 break points, compared to Pow’s 3 of 10.
The margins were razor-thin, but Suresh’s resilience under pressure particularly in the deciding tiebreak was the difference-maker.
For those who know the two players, this was no ordinary match. Suresh and Pow were college teammates and training partners, sharing years of travel, practice, and friendship before turning pro. Facing each other in a high-stakes match was emotionally charged from the start.
After the final handshake, both players shared a long embrace at the net a sign of mutual respect and understanding of what the match meant.
Suresh, however, walked off with concern etched on his face. His shoulder issue appeared to worsen through the third set, and he will need assessment before his next round.
The win sets up a second-round qualifying clash against Jake Vandecasteele (USA), a big-serving player known for his indoor-court prowess. Whether Suresh will be fully fit remains uncertain, but if his fighting spirit in Knoxville is anything to go by, he won’t go down without a fight.
For now, this victory will stand as one of the gutsiest of his young career a night where pain, friendship, and sheer willpower combined to script a story worth remembering.
Score: DK Suresh (IND) def. Luca Pow (GBR) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4)
Next Opponent: Jake Vandecasteele (USA), Q2
