The singles challenge for India suffered a setback at the Chennai Open ATP Challenger Men’s International Tennis Championship 2026 as Sumit Nagal bowed out in the second round, but there was strong representation in the doubles draw with the top-seeded pair of Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Pruchya Isaro advancing to the semi-finals at the SDAT Tennis Stadium, Nungambakkam.
Nagal, seeded eighth and a former champion at the event, produced a competitive display before going down to big-serving Russian left-hander Petr Bar Biryukov in three sets. The Indian No. 1 began confidently, taking the opening set 6-4 and applying consistent pressure from the baseline. He created three break-point opportunities in the second set but was unable to convert, a turning point that allowed Biryukov to stay within striking distance.
With neither player conceding serve in the second set, the contest moved into a tie-break. Biryukov raised his level at the crucial juncture, sealing the breaker comfortably and carrying that momentum into the decider. The world No. 305 surged to a 3-0 lead in the final set before Nagal mounted a response, levelling the score at 3-3. However, Biryukov secured a decisive break in the eighth game and served out the match to complete a 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory in two hours and six minutes.
Elsewhere in the singles draw, fourth seed Ilia Simakin was pushed to the limit in the longest match of the day. The Russian overcame Australia’s Philip Sekulic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1) in a contest lasting just under three hours. Simakin will now face Biryukov in the quarter-finals, setting up an intriguing all-Russian battle for a semi-final berth.
Indian qualifier Sidharth Rawat, who had impressed earlier in the tournament, saw his run come to an end against Poland’s Maks Kasnikowski. The Pole, ranked No. 419 in the world, delivered a composed performance to secure a 6-2, 6-3 win and advance to the last eight.
Other second-round results saw Luca Castelnuovo of Switzerland stage a comeback to defeat third seed Oliver Crawford 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), while Portugal’s Frederico Ferreira Silva overcame Duje Ajdukovic 6-3, 6-4. Greece’s Ioannis Xilas continued his strong week with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Eric Vanshelboim.
While the singles campaign narrowed for the home contingent, the doubles draw offered encouraging signs.
Top seeds Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Pruchya Isaro advanced to the semi-finals with a commanding 6-4, 6-1 victory over Indian wildcard pair Lohithaksha Bathrinath and Abhinav Sanjeev Shanmugam. The Indo-Thai duo maintained control throughout, combining disciplined net play with efficient service games to close out the contest in straight sets.
Awaiting them in the semi-finals is the all-Indian pairing of S.D. Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha, who secured their place in the last four after a hard-fought win over compatriots Ishaque Eqbal and Manish Sureshkumar. After dropping the opening set 4-6, Dev and Sinha regrouped to take the second 6-2 before clinching the match tie-break 10-8.
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Dev credited composure on crucial points as the deciding factor. “I thought we handled the big points really well today. It was a good match, but we stayed aggressive and trusted our game. I’m happy with how we competed and finished the match,” he said. Reflecting on the venue, Dev added that he enjoys playing in Chennai and is comfortable with the court conditions heading into the semi-final.
In another doubles quarter-final, the second-seeded Indian pair of Siddhant Banthia and Saketh Myneni were knocked out by the Indo-British combination of Mukund Sasikumar and Jay Clarke. Clarke and Mukund secured a 7-5, 6-4 win, ending Myneni’s bid to reach the final in Chennai for the third consecutive year. Myneni had lifted the title in 2024 and finished runner-up in 2025.
Felix Gill and Alastair Gray also progressed, edging out fourth seeds Luca Castelnuovo and Rio Noguchi in two tight tie-break sets.
As the tournament moves into the business end, Indian hopes in singles may have diminished with Nagal’s exit, but the doubles field continues to feature strong domestic representation. With Poonacha/Isaro and Dev/Sinha set to clash in the semi-finals, at least one Indian player is assured of a place in the doubles final, keeping the home interest alive in Chennai.
